


Torrent

by Lyatt1941



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, Fresh starts and happy endings, Misunderstandings are here in abundance, Timeline changes and resets, Wyatt/Lucy and their poor communication skills are on full display
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-06-10 13:17:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 226,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15292356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyatt1941/pseuds/Lyatt1941
Summary: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence from 1x12 - because I'm re-watching Season 1 and had an idea.Wyatt comes home from a mission to a completely different reality that will change his relationship with Lucy.  There will be angst.  Wyatt will have to make a difficult choice.  This will probably be long...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I seriously never thought I would EVER write fan fiction...I literally didn't even know it was a thing until a couple months ago, so yeah, I'm so new to all of this...but I'm having fun and that's what matters, right? 
> 
> Anyway, I really hope that you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. This is really just my way of coping with all of the drama we've been dealing with since NBC made their awful decision. 
> 
> I love hearing from readers - leave a review if you are so inclined. I hope you enjoy this story -- I've been working it in my head for a WHILE now and I have a general idea of where it is going to go....this will probably be a LONG one. Again....reviews are LIFE. They give me encouragement when the old writer's block sets in. 
> 
> Happy reading!!

Lucy dragged herself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  In a bleary haze, she could just make out the time shining from her bedside alarm clock:  _2:37AM_. 

 

She was used to rude awakenings at all hours of the night.  If she were being quite honest, her sleep schedule was completely off.  Between the odd hours of the missions and the time travel, she counted herself lucky if she got 7 straight hours of sleep…and if it was in her own bed, well, that was just a miracle. 

 

Most days and nights, she found herself dozing on a vacant chair, propped up against the LifeBoat in some distant point in time, or sharing a room in a strange hotel, in a year before she or her parents were ever even born, along with her two time travelling companions.  Such was the state of her current situation…and it was catching up with her. 

 

Just three days ago, she had spent a cold night sleeping underneath the stars, in a blanket of snow, next to a dying camp fire.  She killed a man the next day.  He was supposed to die, so it shouldn’t have bothered her that much, but she still couldn’t quite get over the fact that she, Lucy Preston, had shot Jesse James in the back.

 

The incessant buzzing of her phone had disturbed her sleep. One look at her screen told her all she needed to know.  Mason Industries was calling and that meant another mission, another attempt to stop Garcia Flynn from changing history and disrupting the future. 

 

Lucy’s entire body seemed to protest as she stumbled her way to the bathroom.  Every muscle seemed to ache, her head pounded and she felt awful. Sleeping outside definitely didn’t agree with her. She felt more than the usual dose of tired – she was exhausted.  Just standing at the sink, brushing her teeth seemed to zap her of any energy she had.   _I just need more sleep_.  She begrudgingly pulled on her jeans, threw on a sweater and splashed some water on her face. She ignored the weak feeling in her shaking legs as she quietly crept down the stairs and left her mother’s house. 

 

When she walked into the launch bay, she was met with the familiar sights and sounds that accompanied the pre-jump process.  Lights were flashing, alarms were sounding and the place was humming with activity. It made Lucy’s head hurt even more than it already did.  Slowly, she made her way to the conference room where Agent Christopher sat with her team mates and friends, Wyatt Logan and Rufus Carlin. 

 

“Glad you could join us, Ms. Preston.” Agent Christopher announced as Lucy crept into the room and slid into the nearest chair.  She rubbed her fingers on her temples and then finally rested her head on her folded arms on the conference room table as she tried to listen to mission brief. 

 

Rufus leaned over to her and whispered in her ear.  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like actual crap, Lucy.”

 

“Thanks Rufus.” she muttered back. 

 

Agent Christopher raised her eyebrows and cleared her throat.  “Alright Lucy, Flynn has jumped to Paris, June 1919 - what have you got for us?”

 

Lucy lifted her head from the table, she kept her eyes closed…it felt like too much of a chore to open them.  “That’s the Treaty of Versailles. It ended World War I, set up the League of Nations. Broke up a few colonial holdings.

 

“So, we’re thinking he wants to mess that up?”  Wyatt asked looking at Lucy with growing concern. 

 

“I don’t know…maybe.” Lucy couldn’t keep her head up anymore. She groaned as her head collapsed back onto her folded arms. 

 

Agent Christopher gave Lucy an appraising glance, “Are you feeling alright?” 

 

“Hmmm?  Me?  Oh, I’m fine. I’m just tired.  If I get some coffee, I’ll be good to go.” Lucy muttered more to the table than to anyone else. 

 

Rufus and Wyatt exchanged looks.

 

Agent Christopher walked over to Lucy and placed her hand on her head, “You are burning up.  Do you have a fever?”

 

“No, I’m sure I’m fine.” She muttered again, but no one in the room was convinced. 

 

“Lucy, no offense, but if you’re sick I don’t want to be sitting in a tiny compartment with you as we rip through the fabric of time and space.  One, I don’t want whatever it is you have.  And two, I’m not cleaning up the mess from whatever it is you have. As the pilot, the LifeBoat may be my responsibility, but I have my limits.  I don’t do vomit…or any other bodily fluids that generally come about as a result of” he gestured to Lucy’s slumping figure “whatever it is you’ve got.”

 

Lucy sighed, “I am perfectly capable of doing this jump.  It’s the Treaty of Versailles.  I mean, granted that treaty basically laid the ground work for WWII, but if Flynn messes it up who knows what could happen?  It could be so much worse.  Besides, it’s Paris.  How often do we get to go to Paris?” 

 

Wyatt smirked to himself. Lucy couldn’t even lift her head off the table for more than a few seconds, but here she was trying to convince them all that she could take on Flynn and his gang of toughs to save the end of World War I….and get a chance to go to Paris.  “Lucy,” he chuckled “look at yourself.  I don’t even know how you made it here.”

 

Lucy immediately sat up in defiance, grimacing slightly as she did so, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I. feel. fine.”   

 

“Hmmmm…we’ll see about that” Agent Christopher said skeptically as she collected the files scattered around the conference room table.   

 

One trip to the medical bay later and Lucy was sitting in the hall listening to the on-call doctor relay her condition to Agent Christopher. 

 

“She’s running a fever of 103.  Her exhaustion and the muscle aches she’s complaining of make me suspect the flu. She absolutely shouldn’t be traveling under such conditions.  Particularly to that time in history – the Spanish flu had just decimated the population. You don’t need to introduce a new flu strain to an already compromised populace”

 

“They can’t go without me” Lucy complained.  “It’s 1919. It’s Paris.  Neither one of them speak French.  Just give me some medicine and I’m sure I’ll be fine”

 

Agent Christopher gave her motherly smirk, “We’ve got that covered.  We have a replacement coming in for you as we speak.  Get some rest, Ms. Preston.” Lucy started to object.  “That’s an order.”  Denise Christopher gave her one lingering and meaningful glare, turned on her heel and walked away. 

 

Wyatt, already changed into his era-appropriate attire, met Lucy as she was making her way down the hall from the medical wing.  “What’s the diagnosis?”

 

“I’m benched.” Lucy said with a defeated scowl, her shoulders slumping down as she leaned against the wall in the corridor. 

 

Wyatt gave her a sympathetic frown as he felt her head with the back of his hand.  “You _are_ burning up…”  Lucy rolled her eyes.  “Look, we’ll be fine.  We’ve got Bam Bam coming along and he speaks some French…though I’m pretty sure he just uses it to pick up women.” He gave her a good-natured smirk and a wink. 

 

Lucy gaped at him sardonically.  “Not helping, Wyatt.  What if something goes wrong?  What if you get there and something is supposed to happen and it doesn’t because I’m not there to tell you what’s supposed to happen?” 

 

Wyatt presented her with a stapled stack of papers.  “It’s all right here.  I just finished a crash course on the Treaty of Versailles, and I’m taking this with me so it’ll be like I have you in my back pocket.”

 

“I would hope that I’m more useful than a Wikipedia print-out.” Lucy said with an exasperated sigh. “Doesn’t say much for my contribution to the team if you can get by with just a few spark notes.”   

 

Wyatt laughed at her, “Lucy, do you honestly think any one of us can do what you do?  You _know_ this stuff -- we don’t.”  He shook the notes at her.  “How awkward do you think it’s going to be when I’ve gotta pull these things out to make sure Louis XVI signs the treaty and ends World War II?”

 

Lucy shot him a panicked look only to see that Wyatt was flashing her a devilish grin.  “That’s not funny” she said with a repressed smile.  “This is a very important peace agreement, it –“

 

Wyatt put his hand on her shoulder, “Hey, I’ve got this, okay? I promise, I will do my best not to screw up history too much.  You just get better so I don’t have to take cheat sheets with me any more than I have to, okay?”

 

She nodded at him.  “C’mon Professor, you need to get home and get some rest – how about I call you a taxi so you don’t have to drive?” 

 

Lucy shook her head, “No, it’s fine.  I haven’t taken the pills they gave me yet and there won’t be any traffic this time of night…I’ll be home in no time.”

 

Wyatt gave her an appraising look.  “You sure? Because Rufus is right, you look like actual crap.”

 

She hit him in the arm as he escaped from her chuckling as he went, down the hall, running headlong into Dave Baumgardner.  “Hey Bam Bam! On a mission together, just like old times, right?”  The two soldiers shook hands and slapped each other on the back. 

 

Lucy was slowly making her way towards the exit, glancing over her shoulder when Wyatt called her over. “Hey Lucy, c’mere.”  She turned and approached them slowly.   “This is Dave Baumgardner.” she raised her eyebrows and nodded at him pleasantly.  “Bam Bam, this is Lucy.  She is our resident historian, a genius, really.”  Lucy gave Wyatt a withering look.  Wyatt cleared his throat. “She’s um…not feeling well today…and she since she’s the only one of us that speaks French, you’ve been called in to make sure we don’t run into any problems.”

 

“Nice to meet you, ma’am” Bam Bam said as he shook her hand.  Wyatt’s eyes lit up in amusement as he saw the little flicker of annoyance in Lucy’s face at being addressed in such a way.

 

Bam Bam didn’t notice any irritation, because he was too busy turning on the charm.  He flashed her a dashing grin and reached out for her hand. “Or should I say, Ravi de vous rencontrer?” He brought her hand to his lips. “I must say, you’re much prettier than I thought you’d be, being the historian and all – definitely not the balding, mustached history teacher I had in school.” 

 

Lucy’s eyes widened.   

 

And so did Wyatt’s. 

 

She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, it’s Lucy and I’m glad I could break up that stereotype for you - not all historians are men.”

 

Wyatt smirked.  _That got him._

 

Bam Bam smiled at her, “I’m well aware of that, _Lucy_.  Mrs. Jonas was MOST definitely not a man, but she looked nothing like _you_.”

 

Lucy laughed.

 

Wyatt frowned.

 

Lucy shook her head with a small grin, clearly a little flustered.  “Um…well, Wyatt’s told us a lot about you – when was that, the Alamo mission?”  Wyatt nodded, giving Bam Bam a sidelong glance. “He said we’d like you more than him….and since he just told me I look like actual crap, I’d say right now I agree with him.”  She rolled her eyes over towards Wyatt who was suddenly very interested in his shoes.    

 

“Well not to contradict my good buddy Wyatt here, Lucy, but he really is the best among us.  You’re quite lucky to have him on your team.” He slapped Wyatt on the arm. 

 

“Yes, we are.” Lucy agreed with a smirk. 

 

Wyatt eyes darted up to Lucy as he gave her a soft smile.    

 

Agent Christopher’s voice barked at them from the end of the hall.  “C’mon gentleman we don’t have all day!”  The two soldiers snapped to attention, looking towards the Homeland Security agent.  She was glaring at them with her hands of her hips.  “And Lucy, I thought you’d be on your way home by now?  Don’t you think you need to get some rest?”  Lucy shrugged her shoulders at them and turned to go once more.     

 

Wyatt grabbed her elbow before she once again headed for the exit, “Get better.” His face was suddenly serious.  “It’s not going to be the same out there without you.”

 

Lucy nodded and gave him a small smirk, “Just try not to start Armageddon.”

 

Wyatt grinned at her once again and slapped Bam Bam on the back, walking him down the hall towards the launch bay.  “It was nice to meet you, Lucy!” Bam Bam called over his shoulder giving her a wave as he did so. 

 

Lucy pushed open the exit door and stepped into the cold, dark morning.  It felt strange to be left behind while her team went back in time without her.  They had never gone on a mission without one another and she couldn’t help but feel a little lonely without them.  They were going to Paris and she was going to be at home, lying in bed, high on a cocktail of flu medicine and vitamin C.   _Dang it_.  Of all the times to be sick, it had to be now.  She threw her head back and cursed her bad luck.  She thought of all the things they would see without her, all the history she would miss seeing first-hand, she thought of the possibilities that could happen between two people in the City of Lights…

 

Nope.  She didn’t need to be thinking about that.  Wyatt was dead set of getting his wife back.  That kiss in Arkansas meant nothing.  He was just playing a role.  He said so.  Jessica was his lightning bolt – she was the only one for him.  Which meant that there was no room for her.  Besides, she had a sort of fiancé, didn’t she?  Noah was a nice guy, he seemed to really care about her…right?  They had a date the other night that was…not as awkward as it could have been.  Ugh.  No. She wasn’t going to do this to herself. Even if things didn’t work out with Noah, Wyatt was her friend and co-worker.  That was it. He had said it himself, the only one in the entire world for him was the wife he had lost five years ago.      

 

As Lucy sat in her car preparing to leave Mason Industries, she wondered vaguely if Wyatt would help Bam Bam with his seat belt in the LifeBoat. 

 

Maybe.

 

Possibly.

 

Probably not. 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

The good news was the mission wasn’t a complete disaster.  There was one small moment when they had lost track of Rufus.   Wyatt had been flipping through the pages of his Treaty of Versailles cheat sheet while Bam Bam was hitting on a French nurse and one of Flynn’s henchman had taken off with their pilot.  But that mistake was soon rectified, Wyatt had managed to lay out the goon who had grabbed Rufus before he could take him to Flynn.  Garcia Flynn had managed to kill a couple of uniformed guards when they thwarted his efforts to disrupt the signing, but no major players for the Treaty were harmed and everything went down pretty much the way Wikipedia had said it should. 

 

Clambering into the LifeBoat, the trio sank back in their seats worn-out and happy to be headed home.  Even though this mission was an overall success, Wyatt had missed Lucy. He had come to depend on her knowledge and expertise, but he hadn’t realized just how much he had relied on it until he was left trying to remember the events on his own.  Add Flynn to the mix and he felt like he had been pulling double duty.  He just wanted a nice long shower and then bed.  He almost envied Lucy for having the night off.  As he sat there thinking of her, he noted how strange it was to see someone else sitting in her chair.  The fact that it was his old Delta Force buddy made the difference all the more striking.    

 

Rufus began firing up the engine as Bam Bam threw on the safety harness, laughing heartily.  “That was a wild ride, man.  How’d you get to be the lucky SOB that gets to do this full-time?”

 

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders, “It’s not as glamorous as it seems.  There’s a lot of things that can go wrong on a mission – and it can affect you in ways that you don’t ever expect.”

 

Bam Bam frowned as he clicked the last of his buckles into place, “How do you mean?”

 

Rufus looked over his shoulder as he began entering the coordinates for the jump. “One mistake on a mission can have ripple effects.  Take Lucy, for example – our first mission, she came back and her sister was never born.”

 

“Damn” Baumgardner murmured. “Did she ever get her back?”

 

Wyatt frowned, “No, no she didn’t.” He said quietly. “Not yet, anyway.” 

 

Rufus shook his head despondently, “Yeah, she definitely has had the worst luck when it comes to time travel.  Amy, finding out her dad isn’t really her dad…that Noah guy.”

 

Bam Bam laughed, “Noah guy? What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

Wyatt glared at Rufus, “Nothing.  Just some guy she’s engaged to.”

 

Rufus shook his head as he cackled, “Yeah…right.  Engaged.” 

 

Wyatt silenced him with a sharp look. 

 

Dave, however, didn’t miss Wyatt’s meaningful glare to Rufus and continued to push the issue.  “So is she engaged or not?  I mean, cause if not, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting to know her a little better myself.”  He winked at the other two. 

 

Rufus quickly turned his head towards Wyatt who definitely looked like he was opposed to Bam Bam getting to know Lucy a little better.  “Um…” Rufus started

 

But Wyatt cut him off as he shrugged.  “Like I said, she’s engaged.” 

 

Dave Baumgardner quirked his lip in regret and shrugged, “Ah, the good ones are always already spoken for, aren’t they?”  Wyatt nodded ignoring the grin Rufus wasn’t even trying to conceal.    

 

He knew damn well that Lucy’s engagement was pretty much a sham, but he was not about to let Dave Baumgardner know that.  Apart from being one of his best friends in Delta Force, Bam Bam was charming, handsome, and a notorious flirt.  The thought of setting him up with Lucy, therefore, made Wyatt’s stomach lurch…even more than it already had as they landed in the present.

 

Lucy was his friend, his team mate, his co-worker and he was not about to let a guy he knew as well as Dave Baumgardner fool around with her.  Rufus could give him all the shit-eating grins he wanted, but it didn’t change the fact that Bam Bam was…okay, he was a good guy, better than most of the others he served with.  Yeah, he was a flirt, but in the few long-term relationships he had been in, Wyatt had to admit that Dave had always seemed to be upstanding in the way of fidelity when he was seriously involved with someone.  But that was the problem.  Wyatt didn’t want Bam Bam _involved_ with Lucy in even the mildest sense of the word. 

 

And if he were being honest with himself, he didn’t want _anyone_ involved with Lucy in the mildest sense of the word.  The fact that she was still wearing that damn engagement ring from her fake fiancé bothered him.  He told himself it was just because she was his friend and he didn’t want to see her jumping into some loveless marriage because some version of her had fallen for this guy.  He told himself that he just had her best interests at heart.  But the truth of it was, the moment he saw that gaudy ring on her finger almost a year ago, a jolt of _something_ had caused his heart to drop into his stomach.  Her explanation that she had no idea who Noah even was had made him feel better, (which also unnerved him)…but then she had continued to wear that damn ring.  As if that weren’t bad enough, she was going on dates with the guy…a guy who had no reason to believe that he wasn’t engaged to her…which drove Wyatt insane with… _something_.   

 

He really didn’t want to think about what that _something_ was – he just knew that he’d breathe a whole lot easier once Lucy told Noah the truth.

 

Well, at least the truth she could tell him, anyway. 

 

The LifeBoat materialized back in the present just a few moments later.  Wyatt was careful to avoid Rufus’ questioning stare as he pushed past him in the corridor towards the locker rooms and even more careful to avoid small talk with Bam Bam. 

 

He turned a corner to see Jiya rushing forward with a “Hey, you’re back!” and watched as she collided with Rufus, catching him in a back breaking embrace.  Rufus wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and the two of them immediately fell into conversation, no doubt talking about the mission, whether or not they had run into problems and whatever else two engineers might find to talk about. The whole scene between Rufus and Jiya made Wyatt wonder how Lucy was feeling.  Somehow it felt strange being in Mason Industries without her flitting through the corridors.  The whole mission had been strange without her, but now – with the exhilaration of a mostly successful mission buzzing in the air, her absence seemed to be felt doubly. They normally talked over all that they had seen and done, complimented each other on their work as a team and would maybe even go out to unwind afterwards.  But not tonight.  Dave might be willing to go out for a drink, but somehow it didn’t feel right going without her. 

   

There was definitely something bubbling just below the surface of his relationship with Lucy – Wyatt couldn’t deny that.  Something that spoke of a feeling deeper than that of just camaraderie and friendship. Hell, he had snuck a peek at her bare back just hours after meeting her.  She was beautiful, and yeah, he noticed her.  But that didn’t mean anything.  Right? They trusted each other, they were friends…but she wasn’t Jessica.  Jessica was IT for him.  She was his wife.  The lightning bolt.  There would never be another woman that could take her place in Wyatt’s heart.

 

Wyatt rubbed his face with his hands and sat down on the long bench in the locker room at Mason Industries.  He could not let himself get caught up in whatever it was he was feeling for Lucy. They were friends and that’s all they could ever be, especially now that he had a name – a name of Jessica’s killer. All he needed to do was jump in that time machine, take care of Wes Gilliam and he would have his wife back.   

 

It’s not like any of this would matter to Lucy, anyway.  He told her after that kiss in front of Bonnie and Clyde that they were just playing a role – and they were.  She was still engaged to Doctor Whatsisface, so obviously, she was off limits in more ways than one – she had a fiancé, she was his best friend, and co-worker and NO way was he going to screw any of that up.

 

So why not let Dave have a shot with her? 

 

He huffed in frustration, grabbed his duffle bag and headed towards the exit, phone in hand, checking his messages.  His finger hovered over a text from Lucy. 

 

_I made it home.  I knew you’d worry if I didn’t let you know. TTYL._

He smiled to himself as he thought about how well she knew him and then quickly swiped the message away as he suddenly remembered that he didn’t need to be feeling familiar with Lucy. 

 

_Jessica.  Focus on Jessica._

Maybe he would give Dave her number.

 

Or maybe not.  She _was_ still engaged after all.

 

**

 

Wyatt wasn’t sure how he got roped into being the one to make the delivery, but Rufus and Jiya had come up with the idea that providing Lucy with some soup and a get well soon card was the perfect way to make her feel better about missing the jump to Paris. They were all supposed to be making the trip to her mother’s house together, but a computer malfunction had left both of them behind at Mason.  Which left Wyatt standing outside of Lucy’s front door at noon the next day, holding a paper bag filled with take-out chicken noodle, some crackers, a card and bottle of orange juice.

 

It might not have been so bad if it had been Carol Preston who answered the door or even a sickly Lucy. But no, fate was going to be having a field day with Wyatt Logan.   

 

He rang the bell and standing before him was none other than Lucy’s fake fiancé.  The doctor.  Noah…Somebody.  Because of course _he_ was there when she was sick – why wouldn’t he be?  Wyatt thought passively that if _he_ were Lucy’s fiancé, he would be doing the same thing. 

_Dammit._

 

“May I help you?” Noah looked Wyatt up and down, completely at a loss of who he could be. 

 

Wyatt knew who _he_ was, though.  He had seen him just one other time, though he had never breathed a word about it to Lucy…or Rufus either, for that matter.  After the Bonnie and Clyde trip, Wyatt had tried to convince himself that that kiss had meant nothing – like he told Lucy, they were just playing a role. Later that night, however, he found himself driving around, trying to clear his head, when he wound up right here, outside of Lucy’s house.  The lights were still on, he thought about knocking and had almost gotten up the courage to do it when her front door opened and Dr. Noah Whatshisface stepped out, kissing Lucy goodbye before he got in his fancy car and drove away. Lucy had told Wyatt that she had had a date with him earlier that night and that it had been a “disaster”, but given what he had seen, it didn’t look like the fake fiancé minded so much. Now, seeing him up close, Wyatt had to admit that if he had pegged a type for Lucy, this guy would probably be it.  He was handsome, obviously well educated, well-groomed, rich…and Wyatt hated him.   He cleared his throat.

 

“Um…I have some soup for Lucy.”  _Smooth Wyatt._

Noah’s eyes widened in surprise.  “Oh, do we owe you anything?  I’m sorry, I just got here, let me check with Carol.”  Noah turned away from the door to call for Lucy’s mother down the hall. 

 

_This asshole thinks I’m a delivery guy._

Wyatt wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or offended by the assumption.  “No…um…it’s fine.”

 

He was thinking he was leaning more towards being relieved to avoid an undoubtedly awkward situation when Lucy blew his cover.  He saw her head pop up from the couch, her face flush with fever, her hair mussed from sleep…and Wyatt’s heart skipped a few beats as he looked at her.

 

“Wyatt?  Is that you?” she said as she stifled a yawn.

 

Noah stepped back from the door and turned to Lucy.  “You know this guy?”

 

Lucy shuffled off the couch with a blanket wrapped around her and made her way to the door.  “Yeah, he’s my friend from work.”  She smiled blearily at Wyatt and leaned against the door frame, “How’d the trip go?”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “I’ll tell you about it when you’re feeling better.  I- I mean _we_ – Rufus, Jiya, and me just thought we’d get you some soup.  Gotta keep your strength up, ya know.  I don’t mind admitting I felt completely out of my element without you there. Wikipedia is definitely no replacement for the real deal.” He gave her a smirk. 

 

“Thank you, Wyatt.” Lucy sighed heavily as she took the bag from him.  “Do you want to come in?  I promise not to cough on you.” 

 

Wyatt glanced at Noah who was looking between the two of them slightly bewildered.  “No. I better head back.  You know how crazy things can get over there.”

 

Lucy nodded shakily and he watched her tense up as Noah wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.  Her apparent unease made the knot in his chest loosen just a bit. 

 

Noah reached out with his free hand to shake Wyatt’s.  “Look, I’m sorry for the mistaken identity.  Lucy doesn’t talk much about her job…in fact, we don’t know really anything about her job other than she disappears for days at a time.”  He gave a half-hearted chuckle.  “It’s nice to know she has people looking out for her.  We really appreciate the thoughtful gesture, but she’s in pretty good hands here.  

 

Lucy managed a quick eye roll and a small smile to Wyatt as Noah wished him a “good day” and promptly shut the door in his face. 

 

And with that he turned on his heel and ran back to his Jeep, cursing himself for being so stupid. 

 

_This is exactly why Jessica needed to be a priority._

 

He wanted nothing more than to punch that smarmy jackass in the face.  Who the hell did that guy think he was?

 

 _Her fiancé_.  He thought bitterly.

 

Wyatt shook his head in frustration and tried to look at the situation objectively.  Obviously, Noah cared enough about Lucy to be there when she was sick.  He couldn’t be angry about that.  He was also a doctor…so really, he was just doing his job. No reason to hate the man for that either.  What _had_ bugged him was the self-importance in his demeanor.  Lucy didn’t even know the guy’s last name and he acted like he, Wyatt, didn’t matter.  That somehow, Wyatt was beneath him.  _She knows me more than she knows you, asshole-_ Wyatt muttered under his breath as he drove away.   Though, he had to smirk to himself as he recalled how Lucy tensed up as soon as Noah touched her.  Lucy probably hadn’t even called him to come over, it was probably her mother.   Before too long, Wyatt had convinced himself that Lucy wasn’t even happy Noah was there, and it was that thought, more than anything that lightened his mood as he pulled into Mason Industries.   


	3. Chapter 3

Two days later, they were called in again and Wyatt knew without even looking at the text he got from Lucy that she wouldn’t be coming.  From how she had looked and sounded when he had dropped off that soup, he knew there was no way she was going to be well enough to travel to wherever the hell Garcia Flynn had ended up this time.   

 

“What do we know about Vegas in ’63, people?” Agent Christopher asked as she entered the conference room. 

 

Wyatt and Rufus looked at each other blankly.  “Um...Wyatt? Any ideas?”

 

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders, “You got me.”  He sighed as he pulled out his phone.  It was 10:30 in the morning maybe, just maybe Dr. Noah wouldn’t be there.  He hoped.  _God, I hate that guy._  

 

On the seventh ring, she picked up. 

 

_“’Hello?”_

She sounded miserable. Wyatt closed his eyes, regretting that he had disturbed her.  “Hey, Lucy…I’m sorry to bug you, but Flynn’s jumped to Vegas - July 1963.”  Wyatt frowned as he listened to Lucy cough and sputter on the other end of the phone.  He waited until he was sure she could hear him before continuing.  “Do you have any idea what that could be about?”

 

Lucy groaned on the other end of the phone.  “ _Nothing really comes to mind.”_  There was a pregnant pause and Wyatt almost ended the call before she continued. _“Hang on, I’m researching it right now…”_

“No, Lucy don’t do tha-“ Wyatt tried to interrupt.

 

_“Don’t be silly, Wyatt. I can at least do **this** part of my job.  I know you saved the Treaty of Versailles, but I’m not ready for you to take over my position just yet.”  _

Wyatt grinned into the phone.  “Wouldn’t dream of it, Professor.”  He chuckled. “How’d you know we saved the Treaty of Versailles, anyway?” 

 

_“Do you think I didn’t spend the last few days poring over books on that very thing to make sure nothing had changed?”_

“You are supposed to be resting.”  He reproved before he held the phone away from his ear as she erupted into another coughing fit.    

 

She sniffed. _“I know, but if I can’t go on the missions, I want to be able to help when I can. Ugh, I hate being sick.”_   He could hear her typing away furiously. _“Okay, the only thing I’m seeing for July 1963 is Elvis is in town filming Viva Las Vegas. I have no idea what Flynn would want with that, but hey, get an autograph for me._

Wyatt sighed, “Will do. Thanks, Lucy.”

_Goodnight, Wyatt._

He wanted to correct her and let her know that it was actually mid-morning, but she had already disconnected the call.  He looked up at the expectant faces of Rufus and Agent Christopher.  “She’s not sure….maybe Elvis.”

 

“So, Flynn hates Elvis movies?”  Rufus asked with his eyebrows raised.

 

“It could be something to do with the mob” Bam Bam was sidling into the conference room now.  He winked at Wyatt as he took a seat, “Looks like we get to do another mission together.  Can’t beat Vegas in the 60s.”

 

“The mafia?”  Agent Christopher questioned.  “You think Garcia Flynn could be meeting with the mafia?”

 

Dave Baumgardner shrugged his shoulders, “The mob was huge in Vegas during the 60s…wouldn’t surprise me. More viable lead than Elvis, don’t ya think?  I’m surprised that wasn’t the first thing your historian thought of” he smiled at Wyatt. 

 

Wyatt didn’t return the gesture.  “Lucy said she wasn’t sure.  It could be Elvis.”  He spat out a little more forcefully than he intended.  Rufus’ eyes widened.  “Sometimes it’s not always clear why Flynn is where he is and who he’s going for…that’s why Lucy is such an important part of the team, more often than not she figures it out when we get there.” 

 

Bam Bam shrugged, “Whoa, I didn’t mean any offence.  I just thought Elvis sounded like a strange target…just put in my two cents.”

 

Agent Christopher sighed and looked at the three men before her, “Thank you Sergeant, your suggestion is noted.  Alright, looks like you’re going to be flying a little blind this time. Just try not to let him run off with another atomic bomb like the last time he was there.  Is that clear?”

 

Wyatt nodded.  “Yes ma’am”

 

Rufus caught up with Wyatt as they made their way out of wardrobe.  “You were pretty fierce in your defense of Lucy back there, soldier.”

 

Wyatt stared at him, “I’m surprised you weren’t, Rufus.  You know that these missions aren’t always cut and dry.  Lucy wasn’t here to defend herself and Baumgardner doesn’t have a clue how important she is on these assignments or how well she does her job.”

 

Rufus grinned, “Yeah, and he also doesn’t have a clue that her engagement is about as genuine as those pleather wing-tips you’re rocking, my friend.” He said with a wink, patting Wyatt firmly on the back. 

 

“What the hell are you talking about, Rufus?”

 

“Oh come on, Wyatt. You know as well as I do that Lucy’s engagement is something out of the damn Twilight Zone, but you swore up and down to your old Delta Force pal that Lucy was off-limits.  Why?”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “I know him. He wouldn’t be good for Lucy.”

 

“Is there anybody that _you_ think would be good for Lucy?”

 

“She’s engaged, Rufus. It doesn’t matter what I think.” Wyatt hissed at him as they made their way into the LifeBoat.

 

“You’re absolutely right, so why not let Lucy decide for herself?   Hmmm?  See if _she_ wants to get to know Master Sergeant Baumgardner?”

 

“You called?”  Bam Bam was clambering into the hatch now looking at Rufus expectantly. 

 

Rufus stuttered, “Um…I was just wondering whether you were ready to go…and now you’re here so I guess we’ll take off.“  He shot a sheepish glance at Wyatt who was sitting in his chair, stony faced before turning back to close the hatch and punch in the coordinates.  “Viva Las Vegas, here we come!” 

 

Wyatt huffed out a breath and threw a look of consternation at the pilot before they disappeared from the present and landed in July 1963.   

 

The trip to Vegas was pretty damn useless.  They never did find Flynn despite spending almost two days searching all over the city for him.  They spent the majority of their time in the Las Vegas summer heat dashing in and out of casinos and trying to navigate around the entourage surrounding the Elvis movie.  In fact, the most exciting thing that happened on the mission was when Wyatt and Bam Bam saved a Western Union employee from being run over by a tour bus.

 

Standing in the cool spray of the shower felt refreshing after spending so much time in the scorching desert heat.  Two days they had spent looking for Flynn.  Two – with little to no sleep between them.  Vegas nightlife being what it is, they couldn’t rule out that Flynn wasn’t meeting with someone in the wee hours, but every lead they thought they had turned out to be a dud.  Wyatt wondered as he collected his belongings from his locker if the jump would have been more successful had Lucy gone along.  She had joked about being replaced by a Wikipedia printout, but the truth of the matter was, it was these types of situations that really allowed her to shine.  Her ability to assess the situation and recall details on the ground that would be missed by anyone else, made her absolutely essential to these missions. Wyatt walked out of Mason Industries with a sigh, desperately hoping that Flynn would wait to jump again when Lucy was feeling better.           

 

It was close to midnight and Wyatt was positive that he would collapse as soon as he got home.  He had been awake now for a little more than 48 hours and the call of his bed was becoming more and more insistent as he made his way up to his apartment, each foot fall on the stairs becoming heavier and more haphazard in his exhausted state.  The July heat of the Las Vegas sun had drained him, causing his head to pound. He needed sleep, desperately.   

 

When he opened the door to his apartment, however, he froze like he had been doused with a bucket of ice water.

 

Wyatt’s apartment typically, was bare bones.  He had a comfortable couch, a TV, a small dining table and chairs, the basic elements for apartment living.  The only thing adorning his walls had been the newspaper clippings about Jessica’s murder and a picture of his Delta Force buddies. 

 

As he stood in the doorway now, however, he took in an entirely different abode than the one he had left.   His apartment looked homey.  Instead of bare bones furnishings, there were paintings on the walls, plants dotted throughout the room, the dining table was different and even the light fixtures had been updated.  He checked the number on the door….yup….same one.  It was the same address, same key, and the same apartment, but this was not _his_ apartment.   

 

He pulled out his gun and tentatively stepped inside. He couldn’t imagine that anyone who had taken the trouble to redecorate his apartment would be aiming to kill him, but he wasn’t taking any chances.  It was obvious that someone had been in his apartment and it sure as hell wasn’t him. Dozens of possible explanations assaulted his brain as he slowly swept through his home, every room showing evidence of someone else’s influence.  Someone decidedly feminine….

 

Wyatt’s heart caught in his throat.  Could it be possible?  After all this time?  Did they finally manage to bring her back?  He swallowed hard, fighting back tears as he now, frantically searched for any sign of her. He wanted to call out her name, wanted to see her bright smile and nestle his face in her blonde hair, but his emotions were too ragged and raw to do so….all he could do was explore further. His hope building with each step he took in the increasingly unfamiliar space he once called home.     

 

He walked through the foyer, past the dining room and had just turned to do a sweep of the living room when he was arrested by the sight of a slumbering figure lying on his sofa. All of his Delta force training could not prepare him for the shock that met him as he stepped closer to that someone who was now curled up on his couch with a blanket haphazardly draped over her.

 

And not just _any_ someone.

 

_Lucy._

 

She was clad in a button down shirt Wyatt immediately recognized as his own with a book lying open on her chest.  If that weren’t enough to get his heart racing, she had just stirred, turning over on the couch, revealing a long bare leg perched precariously on the edge of the cushion.

 

Confusion, disappointment and…..Lord help him, _desire_ – dominated his thoughts as he stood there staring down at his friend, team mate, and if he were quite honest with himself the object of his affections for quite some time. 

 

It was that damn kiss in 1934 Arkansas when his feelings for her had taken a decided turn.  He tried to tell himself that the spark he felt had been a combination of cheap booze and the fact that he had just retold his engagement story to Jessica.  The memory of that day with Jessica was still fresh in his mind when he leaned over and pressed Lucy’s lips to his.  But if he was being honest with himself, it wasn’t Jessica he was thinking of when he started the kiss - it was Lucy.  His heart skipped a beat when he felt her mouth against his and he had nearly short-circuited when she began kissing him back.  No matter how many times he tried to explain away what he felt that night, he found himself replaying that kiss in his mind and fighting the overwhelming desire to take Lucy in his arms and kiss her again.

 

_Shit._

 

He should NOT be feeling that way about Lucy.

 

Which made her presence in his apartment all the more maddening. What the hell was _she_ doing here?

 

Lucy had a fiancé after all, a fiancé who seemed better suited to the Stanford professor than he would be, Wyatt thought resentfully.  Besides, Wyatt had a wife – Jessica.  Flynn had just given him the name of her murderer and he was already forming a plan to stop that sonofabitch from ever killing her.  He had to try to get her back – like Rufus said in 1754, “What’s the use of having a time machine if you can’t go back and fix your regrets?”  And Jessica’s death was his greatest regret…had been for five damn years. 

 

So why the hell was Lucy – engaged Lucy -  here?  

 

Asleep.

 

Dressed like _that._

 

 He didn’t even know she knew where he lived…and he certainly had never given her a key. 

 

He tentatively made his way over to the couch, carefully placing each foot fall so as to not disturb her.  His heart, however, was hammering and he felt sure that if he got any closer to her, she would hear it pounding in his chest.  She was turned towards him, her dark hair covering half of her face. He knelt down beside her while slowly and gently brushing the strands away.  He swallowed hard.  Despite his best efforts to squash any tender feelings for Lucy, he couldn’t help but notice how unbelievably beautiful she was as she slept.  Her face was peaceful, her dark waves of silky hair spread out on a throw pillow he didn’t recognize, her lithe limbs curled gracefully against the cushions of the sofa.  Not able to help himself, he tentatively reached out and ghosted his fingers up her exposed outstretched leg, until he suddenly remembered that he should _not_ be doing that and instead made to pull the blanket around her to cover her more completely.  His heart caught in his throat as he saw, with horror, a trace of a smile grace her lips. Her eyelids were fluttering.  She was waking up. 

 

_Shit._

 

Wyatt frantically looked for a quick escape, so she wouldn’t wake up to him leering at her like  some creep. He had just started to scramble to his feet when Lucy’s eyes blinked open and she reached out her arm to him. 

 

“You’re back” she said with a sleepy yawn. 

 

Wyatt coughed uncomfortably. “Yeah…um” his eyes darted around the room trying to look at anything _but_ her as he began pushing himself up away from the couch. 

 

His efforts were in vain, however.  No sooner had he pressed his hand down on the coffee table to hoist himself off of the floor, then Lucy had wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. 

 

Wyatt tensed up immediately, but feeling Lucy’s mouth on his again had reignited that spark he felt in 1934.  He tried to smother it by thinking of Jessica once more, but his brain was short-circuiting and he was transported back to the cabin in Arkansas.

 

Except this time there was no audience. 

 

This time she was clad in one of his button down shirts.

 

In his apartment.

 

Months of repressing the urge to kiss her, ignited that initial spark into a raging inferno.  His hands went to her hair, his mouth was insistent.  Soon, he wasn’t satisfied with just kissing her lips.  His found her jaw, her cheek, her neck and when she sighed into his ear, he thought he might just die of internal combustion. 

 

Her hands raked his back and caressed his neck and jaw, his hands wandered down to her lower back, pulling her closer to him.  She writhed against him as his mouth once again, found her neck.  The heat between them was unbelievable.  Which got him thinking about fever.  Which made him remember why she hadn’t gone on those missions. Which made Wyatt sit back in alarm. 

 

_Dammit._

 

Here she was under the influence of some crazy flu medicine and he was taking advantage of her.  He scrambled away from the couch quickly, his eyes once again, avoiding her reclined figure. 

 

“I-I’m sorry, Lucy…um, how are you feeling?  Any better?”

 

“I feel fine, sweetheart.” Lucy smiled at him lovingly.  She latched onto his hand and pulled him closer as she whispered, “I missed you.” She leaned in to kiss him again, but this time Wyatt was ready for her.

 

“No, Lucy.” He absolutely jumped backwards away from her.  “Look…I don’t know what’s going on but you-you shouldn’t be here.”  He couldn’t bear to look at her face which was now etched in hurt and confusion.  “I – I’m sorry, I don’t want to you to feel bad, I shouldn’t have…we’ll just forget this whole thing, okay?”

 

Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him.  “Wyatt, what on Earth are you talking about?”

 

“You’re sick Lucy…and I know that flu medicine can make you do some pretty crazy things.  I’m just sorry things got a little…” he swallowed hard again.  “It’s my fault.  I should have never…I’m sorry, okay?” Wyatt was pacing in front of her now, pointedly avoiding her gaze which was still marked with confusion.

 

“Wyatt,” Lucy laughed at him.  “I’m not sick.  What’s the matter with you?”

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt breathed in exasperation, “you had a fever of 103.  You were benched because you’ve got the flu.”  He kneeled down in front of her, concern evident on his face.  “Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”  He quickly placed his hands on her forehead, but she didn’t appear to be feverish. 

 

Not in that sense anyway. 

 

Baffled by her continued obliviousness to her own illness, Wyatt straightened himself up and thrust his hands in his coat pockets. “How about you...um…get dressed and I’ll take you over to your mom’s or something. I mean, you’re welcome to stay here on my couch, but…”

 

Lucy studied him for a moment, before realization seemed to settle on her face.  She drew her hand up to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock as she gasped, “What changed?” 

 

Wyatt was now completely confused.  Lucy caught his hesitancy so she helped him out.  “The timeline, Wyatt – what’s different?

 

Wyatt stared back at Lucy incredulously and sank down on the couch.  All the puzzle pieces were starting to click in place for him.  He had apparently found himself in an alternate timeline….and it was bizarre.  Maybe not as bizarre as it was for Lucy when she had come home to find her sister gone and herself engaged to some jackass she didn’t even know.  At least, he knew Lucy….whatever she was to him in this universe…which, by the way she was dressed and by the kiss she had just landed on him, he was guessing wasn’t platonic. 

 

Lucy grabbed his shoulders, focusing his attention back on her.  “Wyatt, what changed?”

 

Wyatt stammered, “I – I don’t know.  I went to Paris with Bam Bam and Rufus, you were sick with the flu, so you didn’t go along…and then we went to Vegas, same thing.  Except this time, I came back home and you’re here” he pushed himself away from the couch again and further away from her, “dressed like that, asleep on my couch…except this isn’t my couch.  Hell, this isn’t even my apartment.”  He could feel his anger rising.  His disappointment about Lucy not being Jessica was rising by the second and though he wasn’t particularly angry at her, he was pissed at the universe…or fate…or whatever the hell it was that kept doing this to him.  For a few fleeting moments he had believed he had Jessica back only to realize that in this new reality he was not only not with Jessica, but had apparently moved on with Lucy.  The guilt he felt at betraying his wife’s memory came rushing down on him as he stood there looking at Lucy, knowing what he had just done and wondering why the hell it hadn’t flustered Lucy in the slightest. 

 

Lucy wrapped herself fully in the blanket and stared at Wyatt, trying to keep him and herself calm. “Wyatt, just breathe.  Let’s start at the beginning, okay?” He was pacing the floor in front of her again.  “Why don’t you tell me what you know to be your timeline and I’ll tell you what I know to be mine.  Deal?” Wyatt glared at her.  Lucy looked at him with pleading eyes, “Look, it’s not like this is easy for me either, but we need to talk through this so we can work this out together.” 

 

Wyatt didn’t want to talk it through, though.  He had been awake for 48 damn hours straight, he had just spent two entire missions playing both soldier and historian, he had a pounding headache and he just wanted to get some damn sleep.  Maybe he would wake up and this nightmare would be over. 

 

“Nightmare?” Lucy whispered dangerously. 

 

 _Shit._   He had obviously said that out loud. 

 

Wyatt closed his eyes, hung his head and breathed out, “Lucy-“

 

“Just forget it, Wyatt.” Lucy was up in a flash, she disappeared into the bedroom for half a moment and then just as suddenly was back out in the living room, hair pulled back, sweatpants on, keys in hand.   She gave him a wide berth as she headed for the front door. 

 

“Where are you going, Lucy?” Wyatt sighed as he turned to face her. 

 

“Maybe I need to wake up from my own nightmare, Wyatt.  This isn’t just about you.” She pulled the door open and shut it loudly behind her, leaving Wyatt alone in an apartment he didn’t recognize, in a life he didn’t know.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: I had this and the next chapter completed when I finished the first three, but I was working out the rest of the storyline in my notes and didn't want to post these two until I was positive of how I wanted everything to go. I was going to wait to post these until this weekend, but my week is getting full and I wanted to make sure to get this out here before things got too crazy...because I care. Although, I'm leaving you with more angst, so you may not thank me.

The next morning, Wyatt awoke in a drunken haze. The half empty bottle of Jack Daniels lay precariously perched on the edge of the coffee table and Wyatt was face down, fully clothed on the couch. One look around his now sun-drenched apartment told him that last night was not some strange hallucination brought on by sleep deprivation. Everywhere he looked there was evidence of a life that was completely different than the one he had left behind.

He slowly got up and began the uncomfortable task of trying to figure out how the hell he wound up in this new reality.

He scanned the pictures on the wall. Photos of Wyatt and his Delta force buddies, Lucy and her friends he didn’t recognize, the two of them together, the two of them with Rufus and Jiya – all smiles and happiness.

He made his way to the bathroom and was assaulted by even more evidence that his apartment was not just his own, but Lucy’s. Her things were stacked on cute little shelves hung on the walls – shelves that most definitely did not exist in his timeline.

He stood in the shower, sobering up, willing the steady stream of hot water to bring him to his senses and to try to form some kind of plan to put things back the way they were. He didn’t know exactly what was going on, but this could not be his life. Jessica was his life – he was going to get her back. This apartment should be filled with her things – their memories together – not his and Lucy’s. Guilt threatened to consume him and though he knew it wasn’t Lucy’s fault, he couldn’t help but feel a growing resentment towards her. The mere fact that she had somehow replaced Jessica had made Wyatt hate both himself and the idea of her. How could he let himself get so damned attached to Lucy? How could he have betrayed Jessica?

He wrapped himself in a towel and stole into his bedroom…their bedroom he thought with a shiver and was again faced with overwhelming evidence that theirs was no platonic relationship. His once masculine room now screamed Lucy. Her books were piled on a nightstand on the far side of the bed, accompanied by a vase of flowers. The bedspread was soft and slightly feminine, the generic light fixture that once lay flush against the ceiling had been replaced by a drippy chandelier. He grabbed his clothes and quickly left, changing instead, in the hall…which seemed to be the only place in his apartment where he wasn’t assailed by reminders that in this timeline, he had given up on Jessica and settled for Lucy.

_Settled for Lucy._

He winced as soon as that thought crossed his mind. No one could settle for Lucy…least of all him. Hell, she wasn’t even in his league. She was a Stanford professor, a published author…and drop dead gorgeous. She was amazing - incredible, really…and Wyatt had to admit that he had, on occasion, thought (hoped) that in some other life, before he had met Jessica, they could have been something. Maybe. But not like this. Not when he had the name of Jessica’s killer. Not when he was so close to getting his wife back. He sighed heavily. He needed to figure this out. He grabbed his keys and headed off to Mason Industries determined to get the answers to his many questions.

Before long, Wyatt found himself in the parking lot of Mason Industries. He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t even remember the drive there. He took in the building before him and huffed. This job had given him a new sense of purpose and a new sense of self, but it also caused him more heartache than he had ever believed it could. To know that it was possible to somehow change what had happened to Jess had given him hope…but time and time again, every effort he had made had failed, every change to history that occurred, affected someone else and despite it all, Jessica was still dead. Now as he walked down the long corridor towards the LifeBoat, he wondered if he would ever be able to have a chance to save her now that he and Lucy were…whatever they were. He turned the corner, not looking up, and ran straightway into Rufus.

“Wyatt! Dude, What the hell happened? Jiya told me you and Lucy -”

“Shhhhhh” Wyatt frantically placed his finger to his lips, looking around to make sure no one had overheard Rufus’ outburst.

“What are you shushing me for? You think it’s some big secret that you and Lucy…” Wyatt grabbed Rufus’ arm and pulled him into the break room.

“Will you shut up, Rufus?” Wyatt was completely rattled. “This isn’t some damn joke. I need to figure out how the hell I’m gonna fix this.”

“Wyatt, believe me – I know this isn’t a joke…but it could be worse, right? I mean, it’s Lucy. It’s not some stranger like that doctor guy she’s engaged to in the other time line.”

“You couldn’t have given me a heads up?” Wyatt accused.

“I tried calling you.” Rufus countered. “Check your phone, Romeo.” Wyatt glared at Rufus as he pulled out his phone. He glanced at the screen seeing three missed calls from Rufus and absolutely nothing from Lucy. A pang of guilt tugged at his heart. He really needed to talk to her about last night…she was not to blame for all of this, but she also needed to understand that he wasn’t _her_ Wyatt…whatever her Wyatt was.

“I think she knows that, man. She was here first thing this morning and I mean first thing. She’s been meeting with Mason and Christopher all morning.”

Wyatt shot his eyes up to look at Rufus. “Did I say that out loud?” Rufus nodded at him with his eyebrows raised. “Sorry…I don’t know what the hell is happening anymore.” He scraped his hand across his face.

“You and Lucy are happening, apparently” he winked at Wyatt a wide grin plastered on his face.

Wyatt glowered at him. “Rufus. This is not the time. You know why that can’t happen”

Rufus frowned thoughtfully, “Do I? Because every time I’ve ever seen you with Lucy all I can think of is how great the two of you are together.” Wyatt made to protest. “No, no I get it. You want to go back and save your wife, but Wyatt – she’s been dead for five years and you can’t tell me that you have not thought about Lucy in _that_ way in all the time we’ve known each other.” Wyatt stared at him blankly. “Don’t think I don’t know why you actually wouldn’t give ol’ Dave her number. _She has a fiancé_ – you know as well as I do she doesn’t even know his last name.”

Wyatt backed away to the wall and shook his head, “No – you don’t get it. I’m married, Rufus. I cannot be involved with Lucy. I can save Jessica.” He rubbed his hands on his temples, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m so close.” He raked his hands through his hair. “I can’t betray her like this…it’s not right.”

The door to the break room swung open and Jiya came flying in “Oh.” She said in stunned surprise her eyes flitting between Rufus and Wyatt. “Um…I was just looking for you, Wyatt. We saw that you entered the building.” She held up her tablet indicating Mason Industries security system. “Agent Christopher needs to see you in the conference room.”

“Thanks, Jiya” he muttered as he stared at the floor, his hand rubbing his forehead.

“No problem.” Jiya said as she pressed her lips together. Wyatt hadn’t moved, he was still leaning against the wall, staring at the floor. Jiya darted her eyes towards Rufus who was standing across from his friend at a loss of how he could help him. Annoyed by Wyatt’s refusal to budge, Jiya snapped her fingers at him, “They’re waiting for you so you should probably get in there as soon as possible.”

Casting one last glance at Rufus who was considering him with raised eyebrows, Wyatt exited the break room and sprinted up the stairs to the sleek conference room. Not pausing to knock at the closed door, he burst through it to find himself face to face with Lucy, her eyes red, but looking far more composed than he felt at the moment.

“Have a seat, Master Sergeant Logan.” Agent Christopher announced looking between the two of them with measured concern. Connor Mason sat next to Lucy looking bemused by the entire situation.

Wyatt selected a seat as far from Lucy as possible, something that was not lost on the rest of the room. Lucy’s eyes narrowed as she jerked her chin to face away from him, Mason raised his eyebrows and Agent Christopher gave Wyatt a serious glance as she cleared her throat and sorted through some files on the table before her. Wyatt didn’t care, he needed to keep his distance from Lucy…for Jess.

“I understand we have a bit of a situation here.” she said simply.

Wyatt scoffed. “Kind of an understatement, don’t you think?” He looked towards Lucy only to find her face scrunched in indignation. Part of his heart broke for her – but the other part was angry. Angry that he had ever felt anything for the pretty historian, angry that he had let his guard down so much and put them in this mess.

“There’s no need for commentary, Master Sergeant.” Agent Christopher barked at him. “You know as well as any of us how delicate time is and what can happen when you play with it. There is no need to take your frustrations out on any member of this team – no matter what cards you’ve been dealt. If we work together maybe we can sort this out.”

“I just want to know what the hell is happening…I think I -- I think we both deserve answers.” He looked again at Lucy who was now focused on the table, her face expressionless.

“Why don’t you tell us what is different in your timeline as compared to this one so we can get some idea of what exactly we’re dealing with. I’m guessing in your timeline, you and Lucy are not together?”

“No ma’am.” He chanced a side glance at Lucy who still sat stony faced. “I mean, we’re friends.”

Agent Christopher raised her eyebrows and gave him a skeptical look.

Wyatt felt the meaning in that – friends don’t make friends feel the way he made Lucy feel last night. He had screwed up, he knew it – but he had also been exhausted and shocked and filled with overwhelming guilt about his apparent abandonment of his wife for Lucy. They didn’t seem to understand or appreciate what it was that he was going through.

“What were the events leading to your arrival here, in this alternate timeline?”

Wyatt sighed, “Lucy had the flu so she stayed behind and Dave Baumgardner took her place. We went back to make sure the Treaty of Versailles went off without a hitch and we came back. Nothing was different…in fact, Lucy confirmed that we had preserved history.” He nodded at her, but she gave no indication that she had seen the gesture. She remained stoically perched in her chair, observing the scene with what seemed to be only a mild interest, though Wyatt could tell she was desperately trying to keep her emotions in check.

He continued on, “A few days later, Flynn jumped again – to Las Vegas. Lucy was still too sick to go along. I went home only to find Lucy in my apartment…that, incidentally looks completely unlike how I left it.” Wyatt wasn’t sure why that was important to say, but he felt compelled to express how jarring it was to come home to a place that wasn’t his anymore. His frustration mounting, he spat out, “I still don’t understand how or why Lucy was there. Though I guess it’s pretty safe to assume that we live together.”

The harsh tone in Wyatt’s voice struck Lucy forcibly. She gave an audible gasp as a fresh wave of tears threatened to make their appearance. Agent Christopher’s eyes narrowed as she considered a now contrite looking Wyatt. She tilted her head as she quietly informed him, “Yes…you do live together, but I’m afraid it’s more serious than that.”

Pausing to give Lucy the opportunity to speak for herself, Agent Christopher observed the two of them. Wyatt’s eyes were darting sideways towards Lucy as she sat staring miserably down at her hands, absolutely refusing to look up at the rest of the room. The silence was just starting to become awkward when she announced with some hesitation, “You two have been married these past six months”

Wyatt crumpled forward in his chair, buried his face in his hands and cursed.

His reaction caused Lucy to almost leap to her feet as if she had been burned. With an almost inaudible “Excuse me” she quickly made her way across the room to the exit. She couldn’t bear to listen to anymore…not when this Wyatt was so opposed to the idea of them even living in the same apartment. Not when he had so coldly referred to this timeline as a nightmare. His response to the truth of their situation was not something she could sit through any longer.

Wyatt watched her as she stepped out of the room, his eyes followed her through the expansive windows as she made her way down the stairs and to the bustling launch area below.

Wyatt stood up from his chair and punched the wall, more angry at himself for being such a heartless jackass than anything. He raked his hands roughly through his hair, cursed again and ran out of the door after Lucy. She was just making her way down the long corridor towards the back entrance when he caught up with her. ‘Lucy, wait.”

She stopped, but did not turn to face him.

“Listen, I’m – I’m sorry, okay? You’re right…it’s not just about me. I don’t want to hurt you, I would never – I mean, you’re my best friend.” He bit back tears that were threatening to spill out of his own eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on…I need to – we need to figure this out.” His voice cracked with emotion, “I just need you to be patient with me, okay?”

She still did not turn, but she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod of her head as she heaved a heavy sigh. Her back straight, her head held high, she stood rooted to the spot as silent tears fell down her cheeks. Wyatt couldn’t help himself, he reached out for her, spun her slowly around and folded her into his chest. She didn’t embrace him, but he wrapped his arms around her, willing her to feel how very sorry he was.

She sighed again as her chin rested on his shoulder, but she didn’t make another sound apart from a few ragged breaths. She made no effort to wipe away the tears that were still falling and Wyatt could feel them bleeding through his thin t-shirt. He wasn’t used to seeing her like this and it made him very uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, pulled her away and glanced down at her before quickly shifting his gaze to the floor – looking at her was making his heart ache too much. “C’mon…Agent Christopher is waiting for us.”

She took a deep breath, shook her head as if to clear it and walked resolutely back to the conference room. Wyatt guiding her there with his hand on the small of her back. This time, Wyatt sat next to her and held onto her hand as they once again sat in front of a concerned Agent Christopher.

“Shall we proceed?” Agent Christopher looked at the two of them.

Wyatt nodded. “Look, before we go any further, I think I need to explain. I’ve been working on a plan to save Jessica….my actual wife. She died five years ago and I want nothing more than to bring her back. I -I have a name…the name of her killer and all I need to do is to go back and stop him before he gets the chance to murder her and then she’ll be back. So, you see, I already have a wife. I can’t be married to Lucy.”

Agent Christopher, Mason and Lucy exchanged shocked glances. “I think you had better take a look at this” Agent Christopher found Wyatt’s file and slid it towards him on the table.

Wyatt picked it up and began reading, his heart almost stopping when he read his personal information.

_Spouse (Current) – Lucy Preston-Logan_  
_Spouse (Previous) – Jessica Logan (divorced)_

Wyatt’s eyes widened as what he read and reread slowly registered in his overwrought brain.

Jessica was alive.

All the times he had tried. All the times he had failed…and now fate had sent him another damn curveball.

“I don’t understand. If she’s alive then why am I married to Lucy?” he spat out before he could stop himself. He threw his personnel file across the table. It was one thing to be married to Lucy, but to be married to her while Jessica was living? What the hell was going on?

Lucy inhaled a sharp breath and closed her eyes, the tears threatening to spill out once more. “Sorry” muttered Wyatt as he gripped Lucy’s hand once more.

Lucy looked at him with the utmost sympathy. She understood, after all, what it was like to come back to a life you didn’t recognize as your own. With as much patience as she could muster under the frustrating circumstances, she informed Wyatt that Jessica had been saved because of a telegram he had sent when they visited Las Vegas the first time, in 1962.

“What? You mean…the _Back to the Future II_ thing?” Wyatt stammered, hardly believing. “But that didn’t work – we checked as soon as we got back. She was still dead.”

Lucy shook her head slowly, distress evident on her face. “No….not in this timeline, anyway. You sent it to her in Vegas and when we got back you found that she was still alive…but the two of you were divorced and had been for three years.”

“How is that possible?” Wyatt whispered, agony etched in every feature. “You were there, you saw. It didn’t work – and now suddenly, it did?”

Agent Christopher furrowed her brow, “You went on two missions without Lucy in your timeline? One to Paris and one to Las Vegas?”

Wyatt cleared his throat, “Yeah… I mean, yes ma’am. Paris 1919 and Vegas 1963.”

Agent Christopher pursed her lips as she shuffled a few papers around, making occasional notes, “I see. The changes you have experienced in your timeline seem to be stemming from those trips, since Lucy’s reality is different from yours. Can you think of anything that happened on either of those jumps that would cause the difference?”

Wyatt raked his hands through his hair. “Nothing. I mean, the Vegas trip was a bust. We never did find Flynn so who the hell knows what he could have done…and the trip to Paris went off fine...I mean, we got back from that and things were still normal…well, as normal as they could be. Lucy was still sick with the flu and still engaged to that doctor guy.”

“Noah?” Lucy piped up. “In your timeline, I’m still engaged to Noah?” She looked horrified.

Wyatt nodded, silently congratulating this Lucy for having the foresight his Lucy didn’t seem to have. He coughed, “Anyway, whatever happened – it had to be the Vegas trip that did it…and like I said, we never did find Flynn, so there’s no telling what he did to make this happen.”

“Well, I’m afraid if we don’t know what caused this shift, there’s not much we could do to help sort it out.” Mason said decidedly. “It’s remarkable. Quite remarkable that we should be going through all of this again, so soon after we went through it the last time.”

“Last time?” asked Wyatt. Shit. How many timelines was he dealing with now?

Lucy clarified for him, “Wyatt, the last time we got back from Vegas, after you sent the telegram…we came back to a totally different reality. At least, that’s how it was in my timeline. Your message to Jessica had worked, you discovered that you had divorced three years before.” Lucy took a steadying breath. “But the strangest difference was that instead of being engaged to Noah…I was engaged to you.”

Wyatt gaped at her. “How...how is that possible? I mean, we hardly knew each other then.”

Lucy looked towards Agent Christopher for assistance, “Our files indicate that you and Lucy had met a year and a half prior to your employment here. Apparently, she was at a conference at University of California in San Diego when her car broke down. She was headed back to San Francisco when you stopped and offered her assistance. According to the account we have, you ended up driving her the whole way to San Francisco and the two of you hit it off…although she had been engaged to Dr. Noah Carmichael at the time.

Carmichael –now we know his last name.

Lucy cleared her throat, “I don’t remember any of that, of course. I was just as shocked as you were when we came back from 1962. Whatever happened with the telegram seemed to have reset a few things in our lives.” She let out a small laugh. “I came home after the Hindenburg and I’m engaged to Noah, had my engagement party after Lincoln and came back from Vegas, engaged to you…talk about a whirlwind romance.” Noticing Wyatt’s stony expression, she flushed as she smiled sheepishly, apologized softly and gestured Agent Christopher to continue.

“As I was saying,” Agent Christopher sighed, “you were brought on to the team due to then Ms. Preston’s insistence that she would not do these missions without you. By that time, the two of you had been engaged for about five months.”

“So, you see,” said Mason amused, “according to Lucy and, if I may say, ourselves, we have already addressed this telegram timeline difference…but for you, this is all new – and it really is quite fascinating.

“Wait a minute,” interjected Wyatt a little heatedly. “when Lucy and I came back from Vegas and found ourselves engaged…when we _weren’t_ really engaged – why the hell did we keep up the charade?”

Lucy bit her lip as tears sprung to her eyes. “That was your idea.” she said quietly.

Wyatt scoffed, inwardly hating himself for complicating his life.

Lucy continued with a broken sigh, “My mother was apparently very unhappy that I had called off the engagement with Noah. When we came back from 1962, and I found myself engaged to you, I went home, not thinking what differences our engagement would have created in my living situation.”

Wyatt’s eyes widened as he realized what she was hinting at. Obviously, if they were engaged, they were probably living together.

She wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. “She…my mother, immediately jumped into this tirade about how she knew it wouldn’t have been long before I came crawling back to her, that Noah would be so happy to find out that you and I were having trouble, that it wasn’t too late to make things work with him.” Lucy let out a derisive laugh. “It was awful.”

Her face darkened as she recalled those first few days of her new reality, “Noah was constantly hounding me, everywhere I went. He was always at my mother’s house, begging me to “see reason” and take him back. The only place I could get away from them both was here.” Lucy kept her eyes fixed on the table as she continued. “So, this is where I stayed…and slept…until you found out.”

Wyatt instinctively reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. He didn’t need an explanation of why. Even in his timeline, if he had found out that Lucy was sleeping at Mason because she felt too uncomfortable or unwelcome at home, he would’ve done anything in his power to help her. Here he was feeling like a victim and he hadn’t even thought of how much Lucy’s own reality had changed in such a short space of time and what, ultimately, that must have been like for her.

Lucy was still avoiding his gaze, but he noticed a small smile grace her lips as she continued, “You wouldn’t take no for an answer. You insisted that I stay with you…in your spare room, of course. You somehow felt responsible for my situation and you said the least you could do was give me a place to stay.” She chanced a glance at him and gave him a wry smile, “You were also pretty adamant about keeping Noah the “hell away” from me…your words not mine.”

Wyatt couldn’t help but smirk. The fact that he seemed to hate Noah in every time line gave him an odd sense of satisfaction. As for the rest, he couldn’t argue with his own logic. Keeping up an innocent charade to protect Lucy from an overbearing mother and fake fiancé? Even if that meant he was also going to be playing the part of a fake fiancé? It made sense…especially in their line of work. No one understood the truth of their situation and so naturally, helping each other out with these timeline shifts was what they would do…as teammates…as friends.

However, something obviously had changed between them – if they were now married…

Wyatt swallowed hard and furrowed his brow, “So, it was just playing a role?” Lucy nodded. “Then, how…why did we…?”

Lucy pursed her lips together as her cheeks flushed. “You kissed me on a mission.” She murmured.

Wyatt’s heart hammered in his chest. It couldn’t be the same. This was a different timeline...their circumstances were different. He almost didn’t want to know, because if it was the same, then he was going to have to come to grips with that fact that 1934 had fundamentally changed his relationship with Lucy whether he wanted to admit it or not. He squeezed his eyes shut. His voice caught a little in his throat when he asked in a voice barely above a whisper, “Was it Bonnie and Clyde?”

Lucy’s eyes darted to his in surprise as she nodded and Wyatt felt like he had just been hit by a freight train. The feelings that he had been fighting off for so long had led him, in this timeline, to start an actual relationship with Lucy. A fresh wave of guilt rushed over him. _Dammit._ Living with Lucy, playing house with Lucy, _kissing_ Lucy had led him to abandon his pursuit of Jessica. He had succeeded in bringing her back from the dead only to have her dangling in front of him just out of arm’s reach, because he couldn’t keep his feelings for Lucy in check.

Lucy frowned a bit as more tears fell from her eyes. “It changed everything between us. And then after Chicago and Flynn and all of that…we both decided to just –“

“Get married.” Wyatt said dryly.

Lucy nodded. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.” She whispered. “I know it’s not what you want to hear right now. I know how much you loved Jessica, you –“

“Love” Wyatt corrected her, clenching his jaw. “I love Jessica.” His self-reproach was evident all over his face. He had betrayed his wife and he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to forgive himself. Lucy talking about his feelings for his wife in the past tense just added fuel to the fire. Loved – hell, hadn’t he already explained to Lucy that he was committed to his wife’s memory? That she was the only one for him? Lying there, side by side after that damn kiss, Wyatt had tried to tell Lucy (and himself) that he didn’t believe in second chances at love. He had at it once and there was no way he was going to let Lucy or anybody else replace Jessica.

Lucy didn’t argue with him, but instead, she silently contemplated him as he clenched his hands and fell forward in his chair as if he were pleading to God for absolution. His love for Jessica was something that Lucy didn’t begrudge him over – quite the opposite. His devotion to Jessica’s memory, when she had first met him, was one of the things that most intrigued her about the Delta Force soldier. He had seemed so smug and self-assured when she first met him, but when she saw how heartbroken he was over the death of his wife, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. To know now that in another reality, Jessica was still dead and he was still mourning and blaming himself for her death, broke her heart. As much as it hurt her, she couldn’t blame him for how he felt; coming into this new reality only to find that the wife he was hell bent on saving was alive and he was married to somebody else. This was a cruel twist of fate, plain and simple.

Agent Christopher exchanged a troubled glance with Connor Mason while she pushed more folders towards Wyatt. “Here is all the information we have on you, Lucy and Jessica, take as long as you need.” She cleared her throat, nodded to Mason and they both removed themselves from the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Wyatt had no idea how long he had been in the conference room before Rufus burst in with a cup of coffee, a bag of fresh bagels and a somber expression.  Wyatt had pored over every last piece of information he could to try to figure out why this version of himself would abandon his attempt to have a life with Jessica and instead, marry Lucy.  It made no sense. 

 

Rufus nudged the bag towards Wyatt and offered him a coffee.  “You plan on joining the rest of civilization, like ever?” 

 

Wyatt took in the room. Lucy was gone – he hadn’t even realized she left – her coat, he noticed, was still slung on the chair.  “I have to find her, Rufus.  I need to talk to her.” 

 

“Who?  Jessica? Or the woman you’re married to in _this_  timeline?  You know, your best friend, our team mate?  The woman who has saved our asses more times than we can count?” 

 

Wyatt glared at him. “Not you too, Rufus.  I thought out of everyone here you would, at least, understand.  _You_ know that I’m not actually married to Lucy” 

 

Rufus frowned at him and spoke in a hoarse whisper.  “Look, I’m not saying you need to jump into the deep end of marital bliss with her – but dude, it’s _Lucy_  and you’re kind of being an ass.  It’s not her fault _other_  you fell for her….and I know it’s not too far off the mark for _this_ you either.”

 

“What do you mean by that?” asked Wyatt accusingly. 

 

“I’ve also got eyes, you sly dog.” Wyatt scoffed at him. “Yeah, it’s a bitch when it comes back to you isn’t it?”  Rufus shot at him, shaking his head.  “I saw how crazy you got when Flynn took off with Lucy.  You were out of your ever-loving mind with worry.  And then in that Murder Hotel?   How happy were you when that door swung open and Lucy was standing there, safe and sound?  And when H.H. Holmes took off with her and stuck her in that furnace?  Wyatt, you killed him.  You straight up murdered that guy for trying to hurt her.” 

 

“He was a serial killer, Rufus.  I did the world _and_  history a favor by shooting that sonofabitch.” 

 

“Yeah, but Wyatt - c’mon. Remember Jesse James?  He was just as bad, murdering his way through history – hell, he was already supposed to be dead- but you didn’t shoot _him_."  

 

Wyatt knew that Rufus was right…on all counts. When Flynn had taken off with Lucy and he was stuck in that damn Murder Hotel, he was out of his mind with worry over her.  When Sophia Hayden cried wondering about how her father would deal with her disappearance, Wyatt sympathized.  The not knowing what happened to those you care about…he, at that very moment, was desperately wondering what had happened to Lucy.   He hadn’t seen her since that awful night in 1780 when Flynn had dragged her into the Mothership.  Being trapped, as he and Rufus were, he couldn’t help by feel that he had failed her.  Had she suffered the same fate in that hotel?  Was she still alive?  Had she already been killed?   Each thought had caused him more grief than the last. 

 

It wasn’t until much later, after he shot that sonofabitch that stuck Lucy in the furnace, that he remembered Jessica.  How he wished he could bring _her_  killer to justice like he did that asshole, H.H. Holmes.  And then he was hit with overwhelming guilt.  He _should_  have been thinking about Jessica the whole time – but he hadn’t.  Hadn’t he worried when _she_ had gone missing? Didn’t he go out of his mind for a week before the awful truth of her murder was discovered?  Why the hell didn’t those moments cross his mind while he was facing his own possible death?    Why were his potential final thoughts about Lucy and not his wife? 

 

Wyatt cringed as he remembered that hollow feeling inside when he had opened the door to his apartment and came face to face with the newspaper clippings – reminders of Jessica’s murder.   What kind of husband was he?  He had failed Jessica in life and now he was failing her in death.         

 

Yes, his thoughts had been mostly of Lucy since 1934.  He dreamed about her, he worried about her, he liked being near her…but _that_  was the problem.  He shouldn’t be feeling that way.  Jessica was within his grasp – she was alive, right now, in this timeline and all he needed to do was try to win her back and his life would be back on track – where it was supposed to be with the woman he was supposed to be with.   

 

“Jessica is alive, Rufus.” Wyatt spat out.  “My wife is alive and I’m just supposed to sit here and play house with Lucy?”

 

Rufus considered him and took another sip of coffee.  “I understand, I do.  But Wyatt, you’ve got to realize that this timeline is different.  Jessica is not your wife.  Not anymore.”  Wyatt rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath.  “I’m serious.  You go after Jessica and you stand to lose Lucy.” 

 

Wyatt stood up and walked over to the conference room window, looking out at the LifeBoat…the machine that had so royally screwed up all of their lives.  He sighed heavily.  “If it means having Jessica back in my life, it’ll be worth it.” Wyatt said softly. 

 

Rufus was about to utter a reply, but the conference room door eased open and Lucy was standing in the doorway.  Wyatt froze. Had she heard what he had just said? If she did, she gave no indication.  He tried to meet her eyes but she was determinedly not looking at him.   Despite a small tremor in her hands, she looked resolutely calm and collected.  She quietly entered the room, picked up her coat, and just as silently left it.  Rufus looked towards Wyatt, his mouth slightly agape.  Wyatt swallowed hard and looked away from the door, instead watching through the large observation window as Lucy made her way through the now almost empty building towards the exit.  

        

_Dammit._

 

 

Wyatt walked into his… _their_ …apartment after searching all of Mason Industries for Lucy.  He had only been about one minute behind her, too ashamed of himself to face her before deciding that he needed to make things right…and okay, maybe Rufus had told him to “quit being a jackass and chase her down already”, but she had performed a disappearing act the likes of which neither of them had ever seen.

 

Now, as he opened the door, he could hear her moving around in the depths of their shared dwelling. His chest tightened as he approached the bedroom, not quite sure what he would be facing.  Lucy had every right to be angry, she had every right to be sad. He expected either tears of rage or sadness, but what he didn’t expect was to see her smiling at him as she arranged clothes in her suitcase. 

 

Lucy looked up at him brightly as he nudged the door open.  “Hi Wyatt.” she chirped, as if she were packing for a picnic.  

 

“Hey, Lucy” Wyatt said with uncertainty.  He watched her as she happily moved about the room, choosing outfits, matching jewelry, coordinating shoes, expecting her to break down or blow up at any moment.   He was almost afraid to test the waters further, but his guilt was nudging him on. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and grimaced as he continued, “Um…are you going somewhere?”

 

She didn’t even pause to look at him, but continued to bustle around the room, tugging sweaters off of hangers and throwing things haphazardly in her bag.  “Yeah, I’m going to go stay with Jiya for a while.”  She came to a stop in front of him.  “I know this is uncomfortable for you…and I don’t want to make you even more uncomfortable in ou—I mean, your place, so I’m just going to take a few days, weeks…however long it takes to, you know, fix this.”

 

Wyatt reached out and grabbed her hands and her smile faltered, he could see the pain in her eyes. “Lucy, I don’t want you to leave. I’m sorry, I know I’ve been a total ass about this whole thing.”

 

“No, no Wyatt – I get it, I do.  I mean, remember Noah?” She laughed. “This must be ten times weirder than that.” 

 

Wyatt furrowed his brow, pain in his eyes, “No, it’s nothing like that, Lucy.” He said softly.  “I know you…you didn’t know him.”

 

She shook her head quickly, her mask fading as her lip quivered.  “No, you don’t.” she whispered as she quickly wiped away her tears.     

 

Wyatt felt the sting of those words like a cold dagger to his heart – shocking him with the force of how badly it hurt.  Not only did she think that Wyatt didn’t know her, she believed that he thought suddenly being married to her was somehow stranger than her being engaged to a man she had never seen before.  He thought back to his encounter with Noah and how for one fleeting moment he had thought about how he would have been by Lucy’s side if he had been engaged to her. He thought about how he felt when he saw Noah hold her and kiss her, he thought about how it felt to kiss Lucy and see her in his apartment.  He knew he wasn’t being honest with himself about how he felt for Lucy.  He cared for her more than he wanted to admit but his actions over the last few hours spoke otherwise and he was heartily ashamed of himself for it. 

 

He hung his head down as she threw the rest of her things in her bag and lifted it off the bed.  She made to walk past him when he grabbed onto her elbow and turned her to him.  “Please, Lucy…don’t go.  I’ll sleep on the couch, you don’t have to leave.”

 

Lucy steadied herself and looked in his eyes, “Wyatt, I have to.  This isn’t fair to you and it’s not fair to me.”  Her voice faltered.  “I don’t want you to play house with me.  I mean, “she gave a soft chuckle, “this is how it started the last time…maybe that was a mistake.” She heaved a heavy sigh.  “I don’t want you to ever feel like _I_ held you back from being with the person you’re meant to be with.” 

 

He felt awful. Obviously, she had heard his conversation with Rufus.  Wyatt wanted to tell her that he wasn’t sure about anything anymore.  He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for making her feel like she didn’t matter to him.  He wanted to tell her that he would be a mess without her.  He wanted to reach out and pull Lucy to his chest and never let her go.  But he didn’t. 

 

She tugged her elbow out of his grasp and he let his arm drop to his side, watching her as she walked down the hall and out of the apartment door.

 

He let out a shuddering breath.  This was going to require whiskey. 

 

*************

 

A few hours later, Wyatt was pulled from a drunken stupor by a loud knock.  He staggered as he made his way to his apartment door, looking through the peephole to see Rufus and Jiya standing there.  He clenched his eyes closed and wrenched open the door. 

 

“Well, you look like hell.” Rufus said appraisingly.

 

Wyatt grimaced, “Feel like hell.”

 

Jiya sneered at him, “You know, I’d like to feel sorry for you but I just don’t.”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “I don’t deserve anybody’s pity.  I know that.”

 

“So, you gonna be okay, Wyatt?” Rufus asked as he looked around the nearly wrecked apartment. 

 

Wyatt nodded. “Sure, why not?  I mean, Jessica’s alive, I’m married to someone else, though I’m pretty sure I royally screwed up whatever relationship I had with Lucy so yeah...I’m peachy.”

 

Rufus and Jiya quickly exchanged glances with each other as Wyatt threw back another tumbler of whiskey. 

 

“I need to see Jessica.” he muttered, almost to himself. 

 

Rufus lifted his eyebrows and exhaled heavily, “You sure about this?”

 

Wyatt looked at him sardonically.  “She’s my wife, she’s alive…in San Diego.” He pulled out piece of scratch paper from his pocket.  “And I have her address…courtesy of Homeland Security.”

 

Jiya cleared her throat, “Technically, she’s your ex-wife.”

 

Wyatt glared at her. Jiya shrugged her shoulders matter of factly and started typing furiously on her phone screen.  “It’s true.” she muttered under her breath.

 

Rufus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, looking at Wyatt earnestly.  “Your wife in this timeline, is Lucy.  Whatever you had with Jessica is past tense, as in you have been divorced for three years. Don’t you think it’s going to be a little strange if you show up to her door, begging for a second chance all these years later?  I mean, what if she’s with somebody else?” 

 

Wyatt flinched at the idea – he hadn’t really considered that.

 

“I need to know why, Rufus. I need to know what happened.” Rufus looked at him cynically which caused Wyatt to bristle. “Look, I’m not doing this to hurt Lucy.  In my mind, Jessica is my wife.”  He waved his hand around, “I can’t do this whole married to Lucy thing, without figuring out what the hell happened with Jessica. Besides,” he muttered dejectedly, “it doesn’t really matter now anyway.”  Rufus tilted his head at him in confusion.   “Lucy left.  She heard what I said last night.  Whatever we had going on here is probably done.” 

 

Jiya opened her mouth to comment, when a chorus of beeps, buzzes, and chimes echoed through the living room.     

 

_Oh shit._

 

Garcia Flynn had jumped.


	6. Chapter 6

Wyatt ran to his bathroom. He was in no condition to drive. Hell, he was in no condition to jump. He ran his head under the cold water in the sink desperately trying to shake off his inebriated state. Coffee.  He was going to need lots of coffee. 

 

Stumbling into his bedroom for a clean shirt, he made his way over to the large dresser across the room. He tore off his now soaked t-shirt and pulled on a long-sleeved Henley.  He was just turning to rejoin a waiting Rufus and Jiya, when he noticed a framed wedding picture sitting on the bureau.  Curiosity drew him to take a closer look at the life his _other_ self had led before the universe stepped in and screwed everything up. 

 

He felt like a stranger rifling through his own things as he took in this photograph of a wedding that he had no memory of – a marriage that at once seemed far-fetched and completely plausible.  The idea of being married to Lucy, when the two of them had never even been in a real romantic relationship, was ridiculous.  If he allowed himself to admit it, however, he had imagined more than once what it might be like to be married…or at least engaged, to Lucy Preston.  Looking at this picture seemed to be granting him a chance to glimpse into the realm of possibilities…no matter how unlikely those possibilities could be.    

 

Lucy looked radiant, as always.  Her dress was simple, but elegant, as was her style.  She looked happy, happier than he had ever seen her.  That was to be expected, he reasoned, since almost immediately upon making her acquaintance she had discovered that her sister was erased from existence.   He was sure that Lucy, in her life before time travel, was generally upbeat.  After all, she gave the warmest hugs and could not contain her excitement when she came face to face with her historical idols. The idea that Lucy was anything but typically cheerful seemed ludicrous.  He could honestly say that he had never met anyone as kind-hearted, warm and friendly as that bossy-know-it-all. Wyatt smiled softly to himself as he took in her expression, wondering how on Earth _other_ him had gotten to be the lucky bastard that put that smile on her face. 

 

If Lucy looked happy, however, it was nothing compared to the look on Wyatt’s face.  He swallowed hard as he forced himself to admit that he wasn’t just looking at Lucy with love in this photo, he was gazing at her in adoration.  He _looked_ like he knew he was the luckiest bastard on the planet and Wyatt wondered suddenly if he had ever looked at Jessica in the same way _this_ Wyatt was looking at Lucy. 

 

He put the picture down as an odd feeling settled into his stomach.  He was not _that_ Wyatt – _that_ Wyatt was in love with Lucy.  He was in love with Jessica. As the frame fell out of his shaking hands, he noticed a set of rings lying next to each other on a small tray.  A wedding band for him….and a set of rings for Lucy.  He breathed out a shaky breath as he slowly picked them up.  He couldn’t help but smile at the ring he had chosen for her.  It wasn’t a gaudy rock like the one Noah had given her, but an antique ring with a smaller stone that absolutely looked like it was made for Lucy.  The fact that they were here, on the dresser and not with Lucy, shook Wyatt to his core.  She had been so careful packing all of her things, matching her shoes and jewelry – surely, she would not have just forgotten her wedding rings.  No, she had left them behind deliberately.  Looking at them lying in his hand filled him with an unexpected sense of sadness and regret.         

 

“Wyatt?  You okay, man?”  Rufus’ voice called from the hall. 

 

Wyatt started, setting her rings down, but absent-mindedly pushing his own on his finger.  “Yeah…I’m coming.”  He called.  “Sorry, I just um…got distracted.”   

 

***************

 

Entering Mason Industries one coffee stop later, Rufus eyed his friend with concern.  “You sure you’re alright?”  Wyatt gave him a derisive glare. “I mean…I can smell the alcohol wafting off of you – I just want to make sure I’m not going to be scrapping you off the floor of the LifeBoat before we even have a chance to stop Flynn.”

 

Jiya narrowed her eyes at Wyatt, “Exactly how much Jack Daniels did you have?”

 

“Not enough” Wyatt breathed out as he caught sight of Lucy, already dressed in her period clothes, sitting at one of the main computers, in deep conversation with a concerned looking Agent Christopher. 

 

Rufus pushed past Wyatt and approached them both at a jog, “What are we looking at Lucy?” 

 

Lucy turned to look at Rufus, caught sight of Wyatt just behind him and quickly averted her eyes back to the computer screen.  “May 10, 1869, Utah”

 

“Uh-huh…and just what exactly is that?” asked Rufus as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.  “Are we gonna be playing Cowboys and Indians with Flynn?”

 

“It’s the Transcontinental Railroad” Lucy muttered raising her eyes briefly to look at Rufus, “It’s the day when the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines met at Promontory Point and the last of the track was laid.”

 

Recognition dawned on Rufus’ face.  “Oh, you mean like in _Wild Wild West?”_

 

Wyatt snorted while Lucy narrowed her eyes and shot Rufus a quizzical look, “I’m sorry.  What?”

 

“Oh c’mon,” Rufus exclaimed.  _Wild Wild West_?  Will Smith, Salma Hayek?”  He looked at his two friends incredulously.  Wyatt frowned and shook his head while Lucy stared at him looking completely puzzled.  Rufus’s mouth hung open, “You guys are kidding me, right?  Tell me you are kidding.  Giant mechanical spider?  Kevin Kline is the master of disguise?” 

 

Lucy pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile and shook her head in the negative, “Never saw it, but if it helps you…”

 

“PEOPLE!” barked Agent Christopher impatiently.  She glared at Rufus as he sheepishly sat down, pursing his lips together.  “I don’t think I need to remind you that we are burning daylight here.  Every moment wasted is a chance for Garcia Flynn to change our realities.”  Agent Christopher turned her attention back to Lucy. “Alright, so what could Flynn possibly want with the Transcontinental Railroad?”

 

Lucy shrugged, “I mean, our Transcontinental Railroad was the first of its kind in the entire world. It was an immense achievement.”

 

“So Flynn wants to stop that somehow?” Agent Christopher pressed.

 

“That’s just it.  If he were to somehow stop the completion of the railroad, it wouldn’t make much difference…track can be rebuilt.  It would only be a delay.”  She furrowed her brow in thought.  “No, if Flynn is going to Promontory Point, there’s a target.”

 

“Who?” Wyatt asked, almost immediately regretting that he did.  Lucy had, for the first time since he arrived, actually looked at him and despite her best efforts to hide it, he could tell that she had been crying.  He shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her gaze and his own guilt.    

 

Lucy hesitated. “Um…..well, for starters there’s Leland Stanford –“

 

“Stanford?  As in Stanford University, Stanford?”, Rufus asked with eyebrows raised.”

 

Lucy nodded, “That’s right. The western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad was built under his direction as head of both the Central Pacific Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad.”

 

“And he’ll be there?” Agent Christopher asked. 

 

“Yes, he and Grenville Dodge of the Union Pacific Railroad will drive the Golden Spike into the last piece of track, thereby completing the line.”  Lucy said with a sigh. 

 

Wyatt shrugged, “So if Flynn offs one of these guys what’s the problem?  “It’s not like no one else can hammer in a spike.  Just pick some other rich guy to do it”

 

Lucy slapped her hands down on the keyboard impatiently.  “Leland Stanford not only establishes a university that has educated some of the top minds in the country, he was Governor of California, he was a US Senator, he not only headed up railroads, but he also ran a steamship company to Asia.”  She huffed out a breath in frustration as Wyatt stood before her with his arms crossed. “We have no idea what killing him would do to the timeline.  You, of all people, Wyatt, should appreciate that even the slightest change to history can have devastating effects.”

 

The entire room fell silent as he stared at her.  She saw, with confusion, the pain in his eyes as she sat there breathing heavily and glaring at him.  Hadn’t he just spent the last 48 hours complaining that he was trapped in a marriage with Lucy while Jessica was alive and well?   And they didn’t even know what had happened to cause such a drastic change in their lives.  This? The possible assassination of any one of the dignitaries present at the ceremony, could have tremendous ripple effects.  

 

Agent Christopher cleared her throat.  “I think that will do for now.  Wardrobe has your outfits all ready, gentleman.  I want you ready to go in ten.”   

 

*********

 

Wyatt and Rufus clambered into the LifeBoat with three minutes left to spare. 

 

“Where’s Lucy?”  Rufus asked.  “She was all ready to go when we came in and she’s not here?”

 

For a moment, Wyatt thought that perhaps she had decided against going because of him.  He had just leaned his head out of the hatch to ask Agent Christopher, when he spied Lucy talking with her and the on-call doctor just off the main corridor.  From what he could tell they were having a pretty in depth conversation, broken only by Agent Christopher’s checking of her watch and subsequent shooing of Lucy onto the launch platform. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” she said with a sigh as she sat down and adjusted her safety harness. 

 

Wyatt wanted to help her, but he figured any assistance from him right now might be unwelcomed, so instead he asked her what she had been doing with the doctor. 

 

“Are you sick?” 

 

“Why do you ask that?” Lucy asked nonchalantly as she clicked her safety harness in place, taking care not to look at him.

 

“You were with the doctor.” Wyatt shrugged.  “I’ve never seen you talking with the doctor before…unless one of us has come back injured. Just thought maybe you might be sick” 

 

Wyatt buckled himself in, hating the tension between the two of them.  He knew he was responsible for this new coldness in their relationship, but he knew that despite everything going on between them personally, it was essential that they work together as a team.  If Lucy wouldn’t even look at him, how in the hell were they going to be able to complete a successful mission?

 

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”  Lucy muttered as she finished buckling the last of her straps.  “Rufus, are we ready to go?

 

They landed in 1869 with a hard jolt and Wyatt spent the first five minutes in their new surroundings wishing to God he had shown a little more self-control with the bottle. But it obviously wasn’t just him who was affected by this landing.  Even Lucy was doubled over, emptying the contents of her stomach as Rufus weakly apologized for the turbulence. 

Wyatt grimaced as he glanced at a green looking Lucy, “You okay?”

 

She wiped her face with a small handkerchief before popping open a parasol against the hot desert sun. “I’m much better now, thanks.” She gave him a small sideways glance, “You?”

 

“Peachy.”  Wyatt murmured offering her a small smile. 

 

As the made their way towards the railroad, they could see crowds of people already gathered to celebrate the historic event. 

 

Lucy gasped as they neared the assembled masses.  “There,” she motioned. “there’s Leland Stanford along with Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, and Collis Huntington.  They were known as the Big Four.  All of them got immensely wealthy by starting up the Central Pacific Railroad.”  She frowned as she took in the sights around her, scores of laborers in straw hats and ragged clothing awaiting orders to place the last of the rail. “And like many of their time, they were completely racist against the Chinese – didn’t want them immigrating here.” She rolled her eyes, “But as you can see, they had no problem hiring them to work on this railroad.”

 

“Okay, “Rufus reasoned, “so rich, racist white dudes...any chance they all could be Rittenhouse?”

 

Lucy shrugged, “Possibly. We’ll just have to find Flynn and make sure he doesn’t kill any of them.”

 

A train whistle drew the crowd’s attention and the air was abuzz with excitement.  The Union Pacific train was making its way to the end of the line, bringing with it, a whole host of other dignitaries, a brass band, and more well-wishers.  As the luminaries disembarked and began to mix with the crowd, shaking hands and engaging in small talk, Lucy pointed out another gentleman who was now making his way over to Leland Stanford. 

 

“That’s Grenville Dodge. He’s the Union Pacific’s chief engineer. Before that, he was a Union General in the Civil War.  He was a pioneer of military intelligence operations.  I mean, he laid the groundwork for the Army’s Intelligence Corps with his – “

 

“Corps of Scouts” Wyatt finished, half-amused, half-irritated by the look of shock on both Rufus and Lucy’s faces.  “What? I know military history.”   

 

Lucy cleared her throat, “Yes, well his intelligence network in the Civil War was so effective and so clandestine, we still don’t know the identities of most of his agents.  He serves in our Congress and later he heads the Dodge Commission for the Spanish-American War”

 

Wyatt frowned thoughtfully, “So could Flynn be targeting him too?”

 

Lucy gave a small nod, “Like I said, any one or all of them could be his target.  We need to keep eyes on them.”  She looked around the crowd helplessly.  “And somehow, we need to keep our eyes peeled for Flynn.”  She heaved a heavy sigh.  “He could be anywhere in this crowd.”

 

The mass of people was pressing in now, so much so that Lucy was having trouble seeing.  She began skirting her way around some of the taller figures so that she could obtain a better view, leaving Wyatt and Rufus behind. She had just managed to find a clearing when a familiar voice made her jump. 

 

“Ms. Shakesman?  Ms. Juliet Shakesman?”

 

Lucy gulped as she turned quickly to face a man she had not seen in almost a year, but to him, it had been four.

 

“Robert!  I – I mean, Mr. Lincoln!”  She was desperately trying to compose herself.  Running into Robert Todd Lincoln again had not been her plan. “Whatever brings you to these parts?” She inwardly winced as she said it.  Obviously, he was here for the completion of the transcontinental railroad, just like everyone else in the crowd.

 

Well…almost everyone. 

 

He smiled at her pleasantly, taking off his hat as he did so, “This railroad was part of my father’s legacy, so I only thought it fitting that I should be here to see it finished.” He pointed towards the stretch of unfinished track.

 

Lucy nodded.  Of course.  It made total sense.  Abraham Lincoln had challenged engineers throughout the country to make this railroad possible in 1862 with the Pacific Rail Act.  He called it part of the Civil War effort, an attempt to unite the country by rail.  Since he died before he could see it realized, who else to celebrate this historic and crowning achievement, but his son?

 

“Since marrying last year,” Robert Todd Lincoln continued, “I have settled into a law firm that represents a few of these gentleman, so I found myself more than compelled to be here today.” 

 

Lucy turned her head to see Wyatt and Rufus making their way through the crowd, searching for her. Wyatt stopped dead, his face marked with confusion and concern when he saw her in conversation with a man he vaguely recognized.  Her attention, however, was once again arrested by Robert Todd Lincoln. 

 

“And you?  I didn’t realize there were many theaters in this barren landscape, but I suppose it significantly reduces your competition for roles.” he added with a good-natured chuckle.   

 

Lucy quickly tried to piece together a somewhat credible story, feeling completely flustered by the presence of a man whom she kinda sorta dated back in 1865.  “I – I  decided the theater wasn’t for me after all…I mean, after everything.  _Yup – bring up his father’s assassination, that will make this less awkward._  “I – ah…decided to take up teaching instead. (Not a total lie, she thought).  California just seemed as good a place as any.”  He nodded at her, looking impressed by her pioneering spirit.  “And of course, the railroad is so important to us in the West, I just wanted to be here for this…historical event.”

 

The smile faded from his face and was replaced by a small frown, “I was sorry to have never met you again, after…well” His face darkened as he recalled their last conversation – standing in front of the Peterson home, across from Ford’s theater, her dress spattered with the blood of his father.  He steadied his voice, “It does me good to see you now – and looking so well. The West agrees with you, Ms. Shakesman.”

 

Lucy gave him a sad smirk, her thoughts not far from his own.  “Thank you, Mr. Lincoln.  I am well. 

 

Robert Todd Lincoln grinned at her.  “Well, I’m delighted you made the trip.”  He considered her, “You know, I accompanied Grenville Dodge on this journey.  He served with General Grant in the Western front of the war.  He knows of your bravery in protecting his old friend, that -  that terrible night and I’m sure he would be delighted to make your acquaintance.”  He pointed towards the two engines.  “He’s actually going to be hammering in the Golden Spike with Mr. Stanford there. I’d be happy to introduce you.”

 

Lucy’s eye widened in surprise.  What luck. Not only would she be meeting the man for whom Dodge City was named - the same man who built the Army’s intelligence corps, but she would be able to get close enough to keep an eye out for Garcia Flynn. 

 

Oh God. 

 

Garcia Flynn had murdered Lincoln.  He might have been unknown to witnesses at the time, but somehow Lucy doubted that if faced with his father’s killer, Robert Todd Lincoln would have trouble identifying him as the assassin. 

 

The odds of her, _Juliet Shakesman_ , being in the same place, at the same time as Lincoln’s assassin when he was undoubtedly about to kill again, put her in a very difficult position.  It was too coincidental.  If she acted before Flynn did, how on Earth could she explain away her foreknowledge of Flynn’s plans?  Would she be viewed as an accomplice?   She closed her eyes as dread threatened to overtake her.  An accomplice not just to this but also to Lincoln’s death?  There was truth in that.  She could’ve warned Robert, she could’ve locked the door, she could’ve told General Grant…but she didn’t.  Her feeble attempt to shout out at Lincoln as Garcia Flynn burst into the balcony had done nothing to stop the bullet that felled possibly the greatest American President of all time.       

 

She turned to see Wyatt and Rufus staring blankly at her before turning once again to Mr. Lincoln. He was offering her his arm with a soft smile.   She drew a deep breath as she threaded her arm through his allowing herself to be led away towards the Union Pacific engine where Grenville Dodge was waiting.       

 

“Who does Lucy know in the Old West?” Rufus asked with narrowed eyes.

    

“Isn’t that Robert Todd Lincoln?”  Wyatt glanced at Rufus who still wore a blank expression on his face.  Wyatt rolled his eyes impatiently, “You know, the guy she went to the play with?  1865?  Lincoln’s assassination?”

 

As realization dawned on Rufus’ face, he turned his attention back to Lucy and Mr. Lincoln. “Oh yeah…he was her date.” Rufus ignored Wyatt’s scoff and continued, “Well, looks like they’re picking up right where they left off.”

 

“Where the hell does she think she’s going?” murmured Wyatt.

 

Rufus smirked at him, “Easy there, Romeo.  I don’t think Lucy has any plans to settle down in 1869.”

 

Wyatt glared at Rufus, “If Flynn is looking to take out those guys she’s going to be right in the middle of a bloodbath.”  He began to push his way through the crowd, desperate to get to her. 

 

“We’re supposed to be keeping an eye on that other white guy…you know the Stanford dude? Wyatt?  WYATT?”

 

But Wyatt gave no indication that he had even heard Rufus.  His attention was on Lucy.  She was arm in arm with a man that he knew he shouldn’t be jealous of, but seeing her smiling and chatting with a man that was not him, was causing him to go a little green with envy. 

 

Could anyone blame him? She was his wife, after all.   

  

Wyatt stopped dead in his tracks. 

 

No. It was because he looked at that wedding picture before they took for Mason today.  That’s why he just had that mental slip.  All of this time travel was messing with his damn mind.

 

He roughly passed his left hand over his face, and noticed for the first time, that he was wearing his wedding band.  He hadn’t even remembered shoving it on his finger before leaving, but there it was glinting at him, mocking him, in the Utah desert sun.    

 

He wasn’t sure why, but at that moment he was far more upset that Lucy was arm in arm with Robert Todd Lincoln than he had been just moments ago.  Looking at his ring, made him recall that she had deliberately left hers behind when she had packed her bags and left the apartment.  The fact that she had barely looked at him in the moments since then and was now cheerfully in the arms of someone else was just a glaring reminder that he had essentially broken whatever relationship they had.      

 

He was almost in front of her now, standing just a little ways apart from the small group of gentleman she was conversing with.  His eyes were on her and only her.  She turned her head towards him, her face etched in confusion as she took in Wyatt’s expression, full of wounded pride.  His hands were clenched and she could tell there was a storm brewing in his eyes. She didn’t have much time to consider what on Earth he could be so upset about because almost as soon as she saw him, she saw someone else.  She had barely enough time to yell out a warning before Wyatt was knocked to the ground by a heavy blow to the head. 

 

A few explosions sounded further down the track and complete pandemonium ensued.  People were running in all directions, screaming and panicking. Robert Todd Lincoln and Grenville Dodge urged Lucy to take cover, but her eyes were focused on a cowering Leland Stanford a few hundred yards away.  Wyatt was trying to get his senses back into focus when Lucy scrambled past him towards Garcia Flynn and one of his goons who were both pointing their guns at the namesake of the university where she had once taught.  She rammed into Garcia Flynn’s side pushing him into his associate, screaming at Leland Stanford to run. 

 

Flynn cursed as he righted himself, roughly pushing his hired goon after a retreating Leland Stanford, and turning his attention to Lucy.  He wrenched her arm in his grasp and dragged her off between the engines gritting his teeth, “How many times have I told you not to interfere?”

 

Lucy desperately tried to wrench her arm out of his tight grip, but stared back at Flynn defiantly.  “I will not stand by and let you murder your way through history.  Do you have any idea the damage you could do by killing that man?”

 

Flynn laughed as he clasped his hand around Lucy’s throat, tightening his fingers as he spoke, “Do you have any idea how much damage Rittenhouse has caused and will cause if I don’t kill that man?”

 

Of course, she couldn’t answer.  Not with his fingers wrapped around her throat.  But she didn’t have to.  No sooner had Flynn asked his rhetorical question, then Wyatt was there pulling him off of her and landing a blow to his face. 

 

The ensuing fight was a vicious battle between the two men.  More than once, both of them had slammed the other into the engine of one of the two trains beside them.  Wyatt had focused much of his anger to Flynn’s face, but Flynn had repeatedly slammed Wyatt hard in the ribs and Lucy could now hear a slight wheezing coming from him as he dealt another blow to Garcia Flynn with his elbow. 

 

Rufus suddenly stumbled through the two facing engines followed by Robert Todd Lincoln and Grenville Dodge.  Both gentleman asked her if she was alright before Grenville Dodge fired his revolver in the air.  At the sound, Flynn took off running, but Wyatt pulled out his own gun and sent a few shots after him, smirking with satisfaction when he saw that one had found its mark in Flynn’s arm. 

 

Questions were asked as to the identity of the attackers, but given the circumstances, answers were impossible to provide.  Hands were shaken, good-byes and well wishes were had, Leland Stanford was found alive, but slightly traumatized and a decision was made that Mark Hopkins, one of the other members of the Big Four, as they were called, would do the honors with Mr. Dodge in setting the last Golden Spike.  A team of engineers rode on horseback to assess the damage caused by Flynn’s explosions and found that only a few hundred yards of track had been damaged – a repair could be made. 

 

Wyatt turned to the other two as they slowly made their way back towards the LifeBoat, “Another successful mission in the books.”

 

Lucy glared at him, “No thanks to you.”

 

“What does that mean?” Wyatt stopped glaring right back at her. 

 

“I mean that Leland Stanford was almost killed today, because you were too busy…doing whatever it was you were doing.” Lucy snapped.

 

“What the hell, Lucy?” he gritted at her.  “I just saved your life”

 

She glanced uncomfortably at Wyatt, “I didn’t ask you to do that. You were _supposed_ to be protecting those men back there.  You were _supposed_ to be keeping an eye out for Flynn.  You didn’t even see him and he was standing right next to you!”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “So, I’m just supposed to just ignore the fact that Flynn had just dragged you off to God knows where and protect some asshole instead?”

 

“That’s your _job_ , Wyatt!” Lucy snapped.

 

Wyatt was ready to make a reply when Rufus stepped in between them, “Okay, as much as I love being the third wheel in this cute little melodrama you two have got going on here, we should probably get the hell out of here.”

 

Lucy nodded curtly at Rufus, glared once more at Wyatt before she spun on her heel and took off in the direction of the LifeBoat.  Rufus stared after her, mouth agape as he glanced quickly at Wyatt who was huffing angrily, stalking after her. 

 

The trip back to the present was one of the tensest Rufus had ever experienced.  Even that time when they had jumped from 1754 on a little more than a wing and a prayer was nothing compared to this.  Nope.  Facing certain death was nothing to sitting through the awkward silence and heated glares that had permeated the air the moment they had all entered the LifeBoat. The moment the hatch opened, Lucy bolted out, storming off to the locker room.  Wyatt threw off his harness and made his way to medical without so much as a word to Agent Christopher, leaving Rufus to answer her questioning stare of “What the hell happened?” with a shrug.     

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a little poetic license here. Robert Todd Lincoln was actually NOT at Promontory Point, but I wanted to bring him back...there's actually several other ways to bring him back as he was present at the assassinations of both Garfield and McKinley...but that's for another fan fiction story. 
> 
> It is true that the Transcontinental Railroad is looked on as Lincoln's legacy and so I thought bringing him here, especially with his legal practice dealing with Railroads (and he actually heads up one...I believe after the Pullman strike...don't quote me on that, it's been a while since I've delved into the Gilded Age history) was just a natural fit for the story. 
> 
> I wanted to make Leland Stanford a potential Rittenhouse member BECAUSE of Lucy's mother - her history with the university and her insistence that Lucy take a position there...to carry on her legacy. I though that connection too good to pass up. 
> 
> I have the next chapter ALMOST finished, as well as the chapter after that...but I'm not sure when I'll be able to polish them up....I'm babysitting AND watching my own kids over the next few days and will be a single mom for the next few months while the hubs is away, so quiet moments alone will be few and far between. 
> 
> AS always, thanks for reading! I always love to read your comments.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE!!! Thank heavens for train sets and Duck Tales. Holy goodness, I was able to get a lot more done today than I had anticipated, so I wanted to drop this latest chapter. I don't anticipate another one coming out until later in the week...maybe this weekend...unless I get another miracle day with well-behaved kids and lots of downtime -- but hey, it's supposed to rain all week, so who knows?

Sitting on an exam table at Mason Industries, Wyatt was still seething over his fight with Lucy. The pain from his cracked ribs was nothing compared to the pain he was feeling at the growing and ever widening schism in their once close relationship.  He had just saved her life, just like he had done countless times before – except now, she threw it right back in his face.  She would have rather he left her to be throttled by Flynn than to be under any kind of obligation to him.  Not that Wyatt expected anything from her for protecting her from that sonofabitch, but the fact that she told him that his job was to stand by while she was in trouble made him physically ill.  The idea that she thought he could and should put her life at risk for the sake of the mission was more than he could stand.  He wondered bitterly if Robert Todd Lincoln had saved her if she would have given him as much grief.    

 

He was just buttoning up his shirt when he heard a soft knock on the exam room door.

 

It was Lucy. 

 

“You’re still here?” he asked her shortly as he slid off the table.

 

She stepped inside tentatively, keeping her eyes lowered, “I think we need to talk about what happened back there.”

 

“You mean when you bit my head off for doing my job?”  Wyatt muttered miserably.

 

Lucy stared at him, “Your job is to stop Flynn.” 

 

Wyatt nodded, “That’s right. And Flynn took off with _you_.” 

 

Lucy bit her lip, annoyed.

 

“You expect me to sit back and let him kidnap you again, or worse?  Dammit, Lucy – he could’ve killed you.”

 

“Wyatt” Lucy whispered as she shook her head in frustration, “you don’t have to worry about me.”

 

“The hell I don’t” Wyatt spat out.  “You ran off with Robert Todd Lincoln without so much of a word to me or Rufus…and he led you right in the middle of every one of Flynn’s potential targets.”  Wyatt’s anger was rising as he paced the room in front of her.  “Anything could’ve happened to you, Lucy.”  His voice softened, “What the hell was I supposed to do?”

 

Lucy sighed, “If you had been watching out for Flynn he would never have had the chance to grab me in the first place.  Somebody needed to protect Leland Stanford.  He almost died today, Wyatt.  _That_ is what we were there for.”

 

”Could have fooled me.” Wyatt scoffed.

 

“And just what do you mean by that?” asked Lucy dangerously.

 

Wyatt didn’t answer, he just shook his head at her fuming, breathing heavily as the memories of seeing her walk off, arm in arm with Robert Todd Lincoln replayed through his mind.  _Her_ cheerful smiles; smiles that he had not seen from her in what felt like a lifetime.  _His_ gallant gestures, leading her through to a group of historical bigwigs, that even in the midst of that large crowd, Wyatt could see, had her head spinning.   Seeing her so happy, made Wyatt’s heart ache, partly because he knew that he was responsible for the tears that were so commonplace with her lately.  But his biggest heartache came from knowing that the man she had been laughing and chatting with, had unwittingly led her into harm’s way and she went…without telling him where she was going or who she was going with.  It was like he wasn’t even there.   

 

Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him.  “Wait a minute…were…were you…jealous?  Is that what this is about?” 

 

Wyatt scoffed, but he knew she had hit the nail right on the head. 

 

When he refused to look at her she groaned as she placed her hands over her face. “Oh my God, Wyatt. It is.”

 

She tilted her head, her voice growing louder with each question, “You do realize that Robert Todd Lincoln doesn’t even know my real name, right?  You know that he lived 150 years ago?  That he was _married_?”

 

“Just like you” Wyatt muttered.

 

Lucy glared at him before she leaned in to whisper, “Could have fooled me.”

 

Wyatt grimaced.  He had walked right into that one and yup…he felt as awful as anyone could as his own words came back to bite him in the ass. 

 

Lucy bit her lip in frustration as she shook her head.  “Wyatt, I don’t know what you want from me.  We had a job to do and I was _doing_ my job.  There was no reason to be jealous.” She rolled her eyes as she muttered, “I think _you’ve_ made that perfectly clear.” 

 

Her words were cut through him like a knife.  She thought he didn’t care...but that wasn’t his problem.  His problem was that he cared too damn much.  He took a step towards her, his voice faltering as he spoke, “Really?  You think I could stand by and see you stuck in the middle of a potential blood bath? You think I don’t hate the fact that you went after Flynn – that I haven’t been beating myself up over what could have happened to you?  You think I can just look the other way when he had his damn hand around your neck?” 

 

Lucy pressed her lips together as tears sprang from her eyes.  She turned away from him, not wanting him to see her cry.  She felt pathetic.  The fact was she had been relieved to see Wyatt pull Flynn off of her, but she was so upset with him that he hadn’t just listened to her in the first place.  She took a deep breath and strove to keep her wavering voice in check, “You are supposed to be uncompromised on our missions – focused on the objective…not on me.” 

 

“I can’t do that, Lucy.” he whispered dejectedly. 

 

Lucy sighed and Wyatt reached out and turned her towards him.  Her tears were falling freely now and it broke Wyatt’s heart.  He gently brushed away her tears with his thumb as he looked at her, torment on his own face. 

 

“Wyatt –“ she began, but he quieted her with a soft kiss, his lips gently pressed against hers in a silent plea to understand that she meant more to him than any mission.  It hadn’t lasted long, but Lucy was the first to pull away with a small gasp.  

 

For one moment they stood there, staring at one another, Lucy looked confused, Wyatt almost transfixed. But in the next instant, his eyes filled with tears and he screwed his face up in anguish.     

 

What the hell was he doing? He had been making plans just that morning to go see Jessica and here he was kissing Lucy.  How could he do that to either one of them?  He had spent the past few days battling with everyone, including himself, to make it clear that Lucy was _not_ his wife.  Hell, she wasn’t even his girlfriend – and his jealousy had almost cost them the mission and their lives. He had to get his feelings under control…and he couldn’t do that if he was going to be letting himself get emotionally compromised like this.  Lucy was right, dammit.  He had to take a step back…for the team. 

 

“I’m sorry.” He stammered, his voice wracked with emotion. “I – um…should probably debrief with Agent Christopher.” He quickly brushed past Lucy leaving her all alone in the exam room. 

 

************

 

Garcia Flynn had not jumped in three days.  Apart from occasionally catching glimpses of each other across the expanse of Mason Industries, Lucy and Wyatt had not been in the vicinity of one another since that day in the medical unit. 

 

Rufus, feeling the tension more than anyone because they were his two team mates, enlisted the help of Jiya to try to do something about this “fricking Wyatt and Lucy situation.” Since Lucy was essentially living with Jiya now, they figured Wyatt was the one they should corner first, as he was the one who could disappear into his apartment and refuse to answer either his door or his phone. 

 

They found him brooding in the corner of the breakroom at Mason over a ham sandwich. 

 

“Hey, man” Rufus said lightly as he pulled up a chair next to his friend.  “How’s your lunch?”

 

Wyatt eyed Rufus suspiciously as Jiya slid in to the chair on the other side of him.  He knew he was being surrounded, this was Evasive Maneuvers 101.  He sighed heavily, “What do you two want?”

 

“Easy there, soldier.” Jiya warned.  “We’re not here to pick a fight.”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes at her, “Sure.  And I suppose you’re also not here to butt into my personal life.”

 

Rufus looked guiltily at Jiya.  “No…not really.  I just thought maybe you’d want to come out to the bar with us tonight?  And if Lucy happens to be there…well, we’re all friends, right?

 

Wyatt closed his eyes. “Look, I think it best that Lucy and I keep things on a strictly professional level from now on.”   

 

Jiya rounded on him, “Are you serious right now?”  Wyatt narrowed his eyes at her.  “Lucy was your best friend.” Wyatt made to argue, but Jiya silenced him with a raised finger. “I don’t care what timeline you’re from.  Rufus can back me up on this.  You two were close” Rufus nodded. “And now you two can’t even stand to be in the same room with one another.”

 

Wyatt breathed out slowly. He knew that he had caused an even bigger rift between them by kissing her and then taking a giant leap backwards. It all fell on him, he knew that…but he couldn’t patch things up with Lucy without running the risk of _feeling something_  for Lucy and well, that just couldn’t happen. 

 

It was already bad enough that he had to go home to an empty apartment filled with reminders of her. He had taken to sleeping on his couch because he couldn’t sleep in his bedroom with that wedding picture and her wedding rings staring him in the face every night.  He took showers at Mason to avoid his bathroom filled with her things. In fact, he spent as much time as he could away from the apartment so that he wasn’t confronted every day with feelings he knew he should not be having. 

 

Rufus laid his hand on Wyatt’s shoulder, “Look man, you two don’t have to be the cutesy married couple that Jiya tells me you are…uh…were.”  Wyatt gave him a sideways glance.  “But Wyatt, you two work together.  You should at least try to salvage some semblance of a relationship for the sake of the team.  Come on, man – just hang out with us.”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “As tempting as that sounds, I’m gonna have to pass.  I’m actually –“

 

But what he was actually, was cut off by the sound of sirens.  Flynn had jumped and they were all rushing into the launch bay waiting to hear further instructions. 

 

Wyatt sidled in behind Rufus and Jiya as Lucy came running from one of the conference rooms.   She paused awkwardly beside him as he shifted aside to allow her to move in front of him.  She skirted past him without so much as a glance and ran towards an awaiting Agent Christopher.  “What do we have?” she asked breathlessly.

 

Agent Christopher turned to the group, “March 5, 1770.”

 

Lucy was taken aback, “That’s the Boston Massacre.” She furrowed her brow and muttered, “Why would Flynn want to go the Boston Massacre?”

 

“Um…isn’t that what we normally ask you?”  Rufus asked as he raised his eyebrows.  He cleared his throat, “and I know I may look tough, but Rufus and “massacre”?   They don’t go together.

 

Lucy smirked at him, “The Boston Massacre is called a massacre, more for dramatic effect - propaganda.  Only about three people died” she shrugged, “not significant enough to truly be ruled a massacre in the way we would think…besides, it was basically self-defense.”

 

“So don’t piss anybody off and you should be good, Rufus.” Wyatt chuckled lightly. 

 

Agent Christopher turned suddenly, “What are you still doing here, Master Sergeant Logan?  Your leave has been approved.  You are free to go.”  

 

Lucy looked up sharply, “You’re not going?”

 

Wyatt flushed, averting his eyes as he muttered, “I’m going to see Jessica.”

 

Lucy’s mouth hung open. “Oh.” she said curtly as she quickly turned away from him. 

 

An awkward silence hung in the air as Lucy, clearly affected by Wyatt’s admission, struggled to maintain her composure.  It didn’t help that nearly every engineer, lab assistant, and janitor in the place thought that Lucy and Wyatt were nothing but happily married (albeit with some recent marital issues) and were now witnesses to what, in their minds, could only be considered a confession of infidelity on Wyatt’s part.   Realizing that the entire room of staffers was staring at the two of them, Lucy and Wyatt shifted uncomfortably in their respective places until the tension was broken by the entrance of Dave Baumgardner.

 

“Hail, hail the gang’s all here!  Who am I replacing this time?”  he clapped his hands and rubbed them together looking around the room with eagerness until he took in the scene before him.  “Whoa, did I miss something?  Why the long faces?” 

 

Agent Christopher cleared her throat, “Master Sergeant Baumgardner you will be taking Master Sergeant Logan’s place while he takes a few days of leave.”  The mood in the room shifted, the awkwardness of the past few moments before Baumgardner had entered the room seemed to dissipate as everyone turned their attention from Wyatt and Lucy and instead focused on their bonus team member.

 

“Aww, job getting to you buddy?  No worries.” He slapped Wyatt on the back. “I’ll take good care of your team. Especially Lucy here.”  He kissed her hand and winked at her. 

 

Nope.  Forget that.  Awkwardness was back. 

 

Lucy absolutely gaped at him.  Rufus scratched his head uncomfortably and looked at Wyatt who was absolutely seething. Bam Bam leaned over to her and whispered, “C’est agreeable de te revoir.”

 

Lucy’s eyes widened in alarm as she looked from Dave Baumgardner to her team mates for some indication of why this man, whom she had never seen before, was addressing her in such an intimate way.  If Rufus hadn’t been so distraught over what he had just witnessed between his two dearest friends, he would’ve thought the entire Baumgardner situation was hilarious, given what he knew of Bam Bam’s intentions towards the _other_ Lucy. 

 

“Um…I’m sorry…what is going on?” she managed to sputter out in confusion. 

 

Wyatt was glowering at Dave Baumgardner now, but Bam Bam wasn’t looking at Wyatt, he was looking at Lucy.  He flushed a little at her obvious embarrassment and confusion as he tried to gloss over the awkwardness of their exchange.  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”  He smiled at her.  “I just thought we had a nice chat the other day and I just wanted to say how much I’m looking forward to working with you.”  Lucy stared blankly at him.   “Totally professional of course, I know you’re engaged.  Wyatt told me all about your fiancé, Noah.” He turned to wink at his friend who now had a forced smile spread across his face.   

 

Relief and confusion washed over Lucy as she realized that her _other_ self must have been introduced to a man _she_ only knew by reputation.  Her confusion lay in the fact that Wyatt had told Dave Baumgardner that she was engaged when he knew very well that the _her_ in his timeline didn’t even know the guy…not well enough to marry him anyway.  Mustering up as much self-control as she possibly could, she returned Dave’s smile and nodded to him curtly, “It’s nice seeing you again too.” And with one glance at Wyatt she added, “I hope we’ll work well together.”

 

She didn’t hang around long enough for Bam Bam’s response of “Looking forward to it ma’am” but instead quickly made her way to the wardrobe dock, holding back a barrage of tears that were threatening to fall at any moment. 

 

All eyes were on Wyatt as he stood there staring after her feeling like a complete and utter jackass.  This was not how he wanted Lucy to find out about his plan to see Jessica. He was just trying to muster up the courage to tell her when Rufus and Jiya cornered him in the break room.  He had wanted to let her know that he wasn’t doing this to hurt her – in fact, everything he was doing was an effort not to hurt her.  Keeping his distance so that he wouldn’t screw up and kiss her again, keeping things professional so that his feelings for her wouldn’t compromise the mission like they had in 1869.     

 

Damn that Garcia Flynn. Why the hell did he have to jump today? 

 

He needed to talk to Lucy. He couldn’t leave like this – he had no doubt that if he left now, it would damage their relationship beyond repair. He couldn’t lose her. 

 

Wyatt was making his way back towards the locker rooms when he heard Lucy and Jiya having a hushed conversation in an adjacent conference room a little further down the hall.  He knew Jiya preferred to set Lucy’s hair away from the humidity of the showers, so there was nothing unusual about their current whereabouts. The door was cracked open just enough for Wyatt to see Jiya pinning up the last strands of Lucy’s hair.  He was just about to announce his presence, when he couldn’t help but overhear a part of their conversation.    

 

“It doesn’t matter anyway, Jiya.  Who’s to say the timeline won’t change while we’re gone?  I mean we could come back to a totally different reality and none of this will matter.”

 

“It won’t change for you, Lucy.  Besides what if it doesn’t change?  You have to tell him.  You have to tell him before –

 

Just then the conference room door swung open and Wyatt was standing there, fist poised to knock looking down on the two gaping and flushed faces of Jiya and Lucy. 

 

“Um…I –“ Wyatt stammered. “Jiya, can I talk to Lucy?”

 

Lucy shot an angry look at Jiya who gave her a self-satisfied nod and stalked away, looking back over her shoulder at the pair of them.   

 

“What is it you want, Wyatt?” Lucy huffed out, refusing to look at him. 

 

“What were you two talking about in there? He asked with narrowed eyes. 

 

Lucy flushed and pressed her lips together looking like she was about to kill Jiya, “You know, eavesdropping is not polite.”  She hung her head, shaking it as she grumbled. “Please tell me that’s not why you were out here.”

 

“No, of course not!” Wyatt balked defensively.  “I came to talk to you!  I just – I just wanted to let you know that I had planned on telling you that I was going to see Jessica.”  He leaned in towards her, his voice gentle.  “I didn’t want you to find out this way.”

 

“Yeah, because there was no opportunity to mention it these past three days, right?”  Lucy asked him derisively, her eyes boring into his.

 

“I didn’t know how to tell you, Lucy.”  He admitted with a whisper.  She looked away, half annoyed, half touched by the sincerity in his voice.  He reached out and touched her arm, in an effort to get her focus back on him.  He wanted her to talk to him, to get back to that trust that the two of them used to share. He took a deep breath, “But, it sounds like you’ve got something to tell me, so what is it?” he implored.  “What were you and Jiya talking about in there?”

 

Lucy let out a shaky breath, “Look, Wyatt -  I told you before I didn’t want to hold you back from being with the person you’re supposed to be with…and I meant it.”  Lucy bit her lip as she contemplated her next few words.  She was struggling to maintain her composure, her eyes never leaving the floor as she maintained, “There’s nothing that needs to be said by you or me right now…I would prefer it if you would just go.  Go and see Jessica.”    

 

Wyatt dropped his hand from her arm, stung and frustrated by her refusal to confide in him.  It was too late, he now believed, to fix their broken relationship and the thought of leaving her like this was devastating.  It wasn’t just the fact that he was going to see his wife, ( _ex-_ wife he reminded himself), but that he would not be there to protect his team for the first time since this time traveling mess began.  Anything could happen…including coming back to find themselves in yet another new reality. His only consolation was that if that happened, he would have no memory of this, of them, of all the pain he caused.  He rubbed his hand across his face and Lucy noticed for the first time, that he was wearing his wedding ring.   A look of shock and surprise stole across her face, but it went unseen by Wyatt who closed his eyes and muttered, “Just be safe out there, okay?” before turning away from her and walking out of the building.


	8. Chapter8

Lucy couldn’t even begin to think of why Wyatt, with all of his protestations, would be wearing the wedding ring that signified his marriage to _her_ , Lucy.  The marriage that he continually made clear he _did not_  want.  It was not like his intentions had suddenly changed.  He was leaving to see Jessica, and yes, he had kissed her again, but he left immediately afterwards and then avoided her for three whole days, only to show up again, wearing his wedding ring.  What that meant, Lucy had no idea.  She had almost believed, for one small moment, that she had _her_ Wyatt back, in that exam room.  He had been so concerned about her safety.  In fact, when he had kissed her, she felt sure that he loved her…but then that look of regret had dashed all of those hopes away.  His avoidance of her only solidifying that regret in her mind.  So why was he wearing that ring?  Lucy’s head was spinning.  It was only when she saw Jiya looking at her curiously from down the hall that she remembered she had a mission to accomplish and the enigma of Wyatt would have to wait. 

 

The LifeBoat landed with a lurch in the freezing cold evening of March 5, 1770, Boston.  Bam Bam assisted Lucy out of the time machine, her skirt and heavy cloak making her exit a little more troublesome than usual. “I almost envy you Lucy, with all of these layers.  Rufus and I are gonna freeze to death before we get so far as the next block.   

 

Rufus leapt down on the ground after her, immediately slipping and very nearly face planting on the sheet of ice at his feet. 

 

Bam Bam looked over at the pilot, arms crossed in front of him, “Yeah…be careful.  It’s a little slick.”

 

“You think?  Thanks for the heads up, man.” Rufus pointed with his hand, “I see you made sure Lucy didn’t slip.”

 

Bam Bam chuckled at him, “I don’t mean to play favorites, but she _is_ a lady, Rufus….and I promised Wyatt I’d take good care of her.”  He winked at Lucy. 

 

Lucy rolled her eyes and gave him a forced smile.  She wasn’t sure what to think of Master Sergeant Baumgardner.  She was used to Wyatt on these missions and this was the first time she had been without him on one.  Despite the current strain in their relationship, she trusted him more than anyone else to protect her and to get both she and Rufus safely through these assignments.  Bam Bam’s flirtations and wise cracks weren’t doing anything to set her nerves at ease.  He seemed a little too relaxed and too impudent for her taste.  She knew, however, that even if Dave Baumgardner had been completely professional and respectful from the onset, it wouldn’t have mattered.  The fact was, as much as she hated to admit it, she missed Wyatt.  She just wanted to get this mission over with as quickly as possible.  She pulled her heavy cloak tighter around her shoulders against the cold, night air.  “We need to go to the Customs House on King Street. That’s where all of the action takes place.”

 

“And by action, you mean the massacre, right?  Guns firing? People dying?”  Rufus asked Lucy trying to match her quick step while keeping his mounting anxiety in check.  She nodded at him as he continued, “So if people are already going to be getting killed, then why is Flynn here?

 

Lucy shrugged, “To make it worse, somehow?  I don’t know, I’ve got to think.”  They stepped out of the heavy foliage of Boston Common and onto a wide street. Church bells could be heard tolling in the distance.  Lucy looked concerned.  “It’s already starting.”

 

“What’s starting?” Rufus asked in trepidation.  “The massacre?” 

 

Lucy was almost jogging now, leaving Bam Bam and Rufus almost behind in her wake and soon they weren’t the only ones running.  Everywhere around them they could see people, looking out of their windows, racing out of their doors, the streets were filled with rough looking men all heading in one direction…towards the Customs House along King Street. 

 

As they turned a corner, they found themselves in a square filled with the sights and sounds of an angry mob.  They were shouting and throwing large chunks of ice and rocks at one terrified looking British soldier who had positioned himself on the stairs of a tall, stately building, essentially trapped by the pressing horde. 

 

Rufus gave a low whistle. “Holy shit.  You weren’t kidding when you said self-defense.  What the hell did _that_ guy do?”

 

Lucy leaned over and whispered to Rufus as they crouched behind some crates lining the street, “That British soldier is Private Hugh White.   Earlier, a shop boy was throwing stones at him, hitting him with sticks, calling him names, you know…the usual things these Patriots did to British officials in those days.”  Rufus raised his eyebrows at her.  “Finally, Private White had enough and hit the shop boy back.” 

 

Rufus nodded, giving a small frown, “Seems reasonable.”

 

Lucy shook her head as she pointed to the ugly scene in front of her, “ _This_  is what happened.  The shop boy’s cries brought the wrath of Boston down on this one soldier, that one act leads to the Boston Massacre.” 

 

Bam Bam scanned the crowd, “Hmmmm…looks like he’s getting some reinforcements.”

 

Sure enough, a small group of British soldiers were forcing their way through the ever-growing crowd, to the steps of the Customs House. 

 

Lucy nodded.  “That will be Captain Preston, he and six other soldiers join Private White there on the steps of the Customs House.  The mob will continue to jeer at them, daring them to fire, basically doing everything they can to give them any excuse to -.” 

 

“-take out the Redcoats” Bam Bam said with a shake of his head. 

 

“Exactly“ said Lucy with a shuddering breath. 

 

 The crowd continued to press in against Captain Preston and his men, getting closer and more violent as the time passed.  Rufus was getting visibly nervous.  “It’s not gonna be long before this shit goes down.  Why aren’t they firing yet?”

 

“Are you kidding?” Lucy hissed.  “That’s the one thing they can’t do.  Those are British soldiers and these are all British citizens.  The revolution won’t happen for another five years.   See there?”  Lucy pointed to one soldier standing in front of the others. “Captain Preston positioning himself in front there?  The fact that he’s standing in front of his soldiers saves their lives when they are put on trial.” 

 

“Okay” muttered Rufus, “You got me, why would that make a difference?” 

 

“Lucy made to speak but Bam Bam cut her off, “Because you don’t order your men to fire when you’re standing in front of their guns.”  He looked over at Lucy, “How’d I do?  Did I pass that test?” 

 

Lucy gave a satisfied frown, “Not bad. Not bad at all.” 

 

“So, if he never gives the order then what the hell happened?”  Rufus was engrossed in the proceedings now, watching the crowd get rowdier and noisier by the minute. 

 

Lucy heaved a sigh. “Well if you haven’t noticed, this mob isn’t exactly making Captain Preston’s job easy.”  Sure enough, jeers of “fire damn you!” could be heard piercing through the din of shouts and church bells in the Boston twilight.  “One of the soldiers will be attacked with a club, - knocked to the ground. Captain Preston is hit in the arm with a club so hard that he later testifies that if it had been his head, he would have been killed.  In all the confusion, one musket goes off and then another until three Bostonians are dead.” 

 

“But the Captain never gave the order?”  Bam Bam asked Lucy. 

 

“No” said Lucy.  “In fact, their trial skyrockets John Adams into fame.  What’s fascinating is that John Adams, despite his political leanings, argued for the defense while Samuel Quincy, who was a Loyalist, argued for the Prosecution. It was really the only way they were going to get a fair trial.” 

 

Rufus looked at the scene around him, “No kidding.”

 

“So, if this Garcia Flynn guy wanted to change something, what would he do and why?”  Bam Bam asked. 

 

Lucy furrowed her brow in thought, trying to concentrate amidst the din of church bells and the screams from the angry horde.  “If more people were killed it wouldn’t necessarily change the outcome of the trial. No, the biggest piece of evidence for the defense was Captain Preston’s position - him standing in front of his troops – it provided enough evidence to make the case for self-defense.”  She pressed her fingers to her temples trying to focus her thoughts on Flynn’s motives rather than the shouts and tolling bells that signaled impending doom.  “If John Adams can’t win this trial, it could mean disaster.  He becomes so famous, he’s elected to the Massachusetts Assembly within three months, and then he’s basically a shoo-in for the Continental Congress.  We wouldn’t have the Declaration of Independence without him.” 

 

Bam Bam scoffed, “I don’t mean to contradict a lady, but I call bull shit on that one.  Everybody knows that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.”

 

Lucy absolutely bristled, “The Declaration of Independence?  It may have been written by Thomas Jefferson, but John Adams was the driving force behind it.” She looked at her two companions as they stared blankly back at her.  “Seriously, haven’t you ever seen _1776_?”

 

“Say what, now?” asked Rufus, his eyebrows raised. 

 

 _“1776_ , ugh…it’s a musical based on the Continental Congress and the signing of the Declaration of Independence!”  Lucy spat out in exasperation.  Rufus and Bam Bam were eyeing her with a mixture of pity and amusement which irritated her all the more.  She’s an historian, why   _wouldn’t_  she be a fan of a celebrated musical detailing one of the crowning moments in American history?  She bristled defensively, “It was very well done.”  They continued to stare at her doubtfully.  “It won the Tony.”

 

“Huh” said Rufus as they skirted their way around the crates to get a closer view of the situation unfolding in front of them. “So, it’s like _Hamilton?”_  

 

“It is _nothing_  like _Hamilton._ ”  Lucy hissed.   “Who, by the way, wasn’t as awesome as they make him out to be.”

 

That had done it. 

 

“Oh no, you are NOT dissing on my boy, Hamilton.” Rufus argued.  “He got farther, by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter, by being a self-starter – “

 

Lucy stared at him. 

 

“By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter.” Bam Bam sang under his breath. 

 

“Can we talk about this later?  We kind of have a situation going on here.” Lucy remonstrated in a harsh whisper.  

 

“Oh, we _will_ be talking about this later.  You are not going to be throwing shade on that young scrappy and hungry immigrant and get away with it, I don’t care what University you taught for.” Rufus muttered as Lucy scampered away to position herself behind a cart off to the right of the Customs House.    

 

As Rufus and Bam Bam joined her, she rounded on them, “For your information, Alexander Hamilton was a huge supporter of the Alien and Sedition Acts which were basically a set of laws that made it illegal to criticize the government.”  Rufus opened his mouth to argue, but Lucy plowed on.  “He thought the common man shouldn’t be trusted to vote, a complete elitist. Praised the hierarchal system of Great Britain. How’s _that_  for freedom and democracy?”

 

Rufus gaped at her, “ _Hamilton_ is one of the greatest musicals ever to hit the modern stage and nothing you say is gonna change my mind on that.”

 

“Yeah, well they glossed over a few things.” Lucy muttered as she rolled her eyes and took in the scene before her.  Ten soldiers were standing against a crowd of four hundred angry Bostonians.  The tension was nearing the breaking point. Large ruffians were closing in on the soldiers brandishing clubs.  But where was Garcia Flynn?  Finding him in a crowd this massive was going to be impossible.  Lucy’s eyes fell on the soldiers, wondering which one of them would be dealt the blow that would signal the start of the shooting.  It was then that she noticed that something was very wrong.    

 

“Wait a minute!”  Lucy exclaimed.  “The soldiers, there’s only supposed to be eight.” 

 

Bam Bam looked at her in amazement, “How on Earth do you _know_ that?”  I mean, Wyatt told me you were amazing, but holy shit, that’s impressive.”

 

The thought that Wyatt had described her as “amazing” to his friend made Lucy flush with emotion.  She felt positively giddy.  After all, Dave Baumgardner wasn’t talking about _her_  Wyatt. The Wyatt he was referring to was the same Wyatt who thought that being married to her was a nightmare, but yet, had zero problem wearing his wedding ring.  Yeah, she was going have to think about that later.  Right now, there were more pressing things at hand. 

 

“We need to find out which two of those guys are not actually British soldiers.”  Lucy murmured. 

 

“How the hell do you think we’re going to do that, Lucy?  Look at this crowd, we get any closer and we’re either going to get shot or trampled on when this thing goes south.”

 

“I know!” Lucy spat back at Rufus, “I’m thinking, okay?”

 

“You said that guy in front is a Captain?”  Bam Bam asked.

 

“Yes,” said Lucy “Captain Preston.”

 

“No offense ma’am, but that is no Captain.  No self-respecting soldier let alone officer would wear his uniform like that.  Besides I’m pretty sure that scarf he’s got around his half his face is not regulation.”

 

Lucy took a closer look. The Captain certainly looked more disheveled and out of place than even the Privates he was commanding.   “Are you absolutely sure?  
  


But she didn’t need him to answer.  No sooner had she asked the question, then “Captain Preston” began to draw back away from the front of his men.”

 

“Oh my God” Lucy, exclaimed, “He’s going to order them fire.  Flynn is going to make it impossible for Adams to win this case.”  She looked desperately at Dave Baumgardner.  “Do you think you can take him out?

 

“I’m not as good as Wyatt is.”  Noticing how Lucy’s face fell a little at his humble admission, he replied, “but I’m not throwing away my shot.” He winked at her.    

 

Lucy glared at him scornfully – she walked right into that damn _Hamilton_ reference.  She took a deep breath, “Go get him, Soldier.”

 

************ 

 

The drive to San Diego seemed to be the longest of Wyatt’s life.  Each mile seemed to stretch on for hours, each hour felt like a year.  He was a man torn apart.  Driving away from San Francisco, from his team, from _Lucy_ was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.  Knowing how broken things were with her, knowing that his reality could change while she was away, knowing that each mile he put between them just added to the rift in their relationship was almost more than he could take.  And yet, he drove on.  The thought of seeing Jessica, alive, after mourning her for five long years, beckoned him onward even when he felt that by doing so, he was running the risk of losing one of the most important people in his life. 

 

It was well past midnight when he arrived, so Wyatt found a hotel near Jessica’s address.  It felt surreal to be in San Diego, just a few miles away from where Jessica was living…where she was _actually_ living and breathing – Wyatt closed his eyes at the thought.  How long had he dreamed of this?  How many times had he wished that he could go back and redo that awful night?  He was almost afraid that when he woke up in the morning, this whole thing would turn out to be some bizarre dream; the alcohol laden yearnings of a broken-hearted man.  So, for most of the night he lay awake wondering what she would be like, if she would look different, if she would feel the same way about him as she did all those years ago. He wondered if her hair would still smell like coconut as he always remembered it had.  He wondered what exactly had changed to bring her back.  Did they still have that fight?  Did she still get out of the truck?  What did she think when she had received that telegram? 

 

Suddenly he was thinking of Las Vegas 1962.  How worried he was the Lucy was going to lecture him about sending the telegram to save Jessica, but instead, she surprised him.  It seemed strange for him to think now that Lucy wouldn’t have understood.  Her life had been flipped upside down on that first mission.  Her sister, her father…Noah.  It was that Vegas trip when he first saw Lucy with that God-awful ring that Noah had given her.  Wyatt scoffed.  He clearly didn’t know Lucy as well as Wyatt did…even then.  He frowned as he absently-mindedly toyed with the ring on his finger thinking of its counterpart, the ring that seemed to be made just for her. Wyatt swallowed hard as he relived their last conversation in his mind.  She wouldn’t talk to him, wouldn’t confide in him, had shooed him away…but could he blame her?  He had been a complete ass from Day 1.  Out of all the possible scenarios he could come home to, was it so terrible for him to be married to Lucy?  No. Hell, he knew that any version of him would be damned lucky to have a woman like Lucy for his wife.  He was hit with a pang of regret as he realized that he _was_ that damned lucky and he threw it all away.  And for what?

 

 _For Jessica_  

 

Wyatt sat down on the bed and cradled his head in his hands.  What the hell was wrong with him?  Here he was hours away from seeing Jessica again and he’s back to thinking about and regretting Lucy.  He roughly rubbed his temples and walked over to the window, looking out at the great expanse of twinkling lights and California coastline.  It felt strange to be away from it all, the time travel, the warehouse, his team.  His anxiety mounted when he realized that they weren’t even in the same century. He was not there to protect them, to watch over them, and he hoped to God that Bam Bam would bring them home safe. 

 

 

The next morning, he was up a little later than he had expected, given what the day had in store for him.  He pulled up to a brightly painted townhouse in a quiet neighborhood, after trying but failing to eat a bit of breakfast. His stomach was in knots.  His mind was a jumble of things he wanted to say, things he wanted to ask, and things he desperately needed to know.  Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of his Jeep, checked the address once more, and nervously walked to her front door.

 

The few seconds after he knocked were agonizing.  Time seemed to stand still.  Doubt creeped in as he recalled Rufus’ words that she might have moved on.  How the hell was he going to explain what he was doing there?  He was about to turn to leave, when suddenly, there she was.  Words could not express the raw emotion that nearly burst out of his chest upon seeing her, fresh faced, blonde hair, a surprised smile on her lips and very much alive.  Tears sprang to Wyatt’s eyes and it was all he could do to keep from breaking down on her doorstep.  Five years of grieving suddenly washed away as Jessica pulled Wyatt in for a hug.    

 

“Wyatt!  I didn’t know you were in town!  Why didn’t you call?” She made to pull away from him, but Wyatt held onto her tightly.  “Hey” she rubbed his back, “What’s wrong?”  She studied his face and saw his eyes brimmed with tears.  She shook her head and gave him a lazy smirk, “Don’t tell me married life is already getting to you?”

 

Wyatt looked at her for a moment in confusion until it dawned on him that of course Jessica would probably have known about Lucy.  He imagined his _other_ self would have made a similar effort to see Jessica.  He suddenly wondered why no one told him about that…why wouldn’t they have mentioned it to him?   He took a moment to compose himself once more before he answered, “No – um no, Lucy is fine…we’re fine.”  He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to defend his relationship status with Lucy, even though he knew they were not even close to “fine” – not as a married couple, not even as friends or co-workers at the moment.  But somehow, admitting that to Jessica seemed wrong.  “She’s just um…working.  How are you, Jess?”

 

She opened her door further and invited him in, giving him a wry smile, “You can’t fool me, Wyatt. There’s something wrong, what is it?” She offered him a glass of water which he refused.  She considered him for a few moments and then offered him a bottle of beer apologizing, “I’d offer you a whiskey, but as you can see I’m just about moved out of this place.”

Sure enough, as Wyatt looked around, her could see stack and stacks of boxes piled all around the room. “You’re moving?” Wyatt asked in alarm. 

 

Jessica looked amused, ”Yeah, I’m ah…actually going to be living in your neck of the woods.  Got a great job offer, couldn’t refuse.”  She was looking at him curiously.  “The last time you came here, you looked exactly like you do now.  As much as I appreciate the unannounced visits, you scare me a little when you show up looking like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

 

Wyatt tried his best to compose himself, but seeing Jessica alive after all of these years was overwhelming.  He felt his legs quaking beneath him as he gazed upon a woman whom he had last seen when he identified her body in a morgue.  He sank down on an armchair to avoid his knees giving away altogether “You know, maybe I will have a beer.”

 

Jessica gave him a broad smile and sidled over to the fridge.  “So,” she called from the kitchen as she popped open his bottle, “why are you here?  I have to admit I didn’t expect to see you again after I heard you got married.”  

 

Wyatt didn’t quite know what to say.  She believed he was married to Lucy, while in his mind, _she_ was his wife.  Just how in the hell was he going to explain that? How do you explain to a woman who is clearly not dead that for the last five years you’ve been mourning her death? He cleared his throat, “I just wanted to see how you were.”

 

Jessica gave him a big smile, “Since the last time you landed on my doorstep?” 

 

So he _had_ come before.  Of course he would have.  Why hadn’t anybody told him about it?

 

“Yeah, I mean…obviously, you got a new job.” 

 

Jessica grinned again as she handed him his beer, “Yeah, I just needed a change of scenery, ya know? After Jeff and I broke up last month, I figured it was time to set my sights on better horizons.”

 

Wyatt nearly spit out his beer, “Jeff?  You mean, that sonofabitch from the bar, Jeff?”

 

Jessica rolled her eyes at him, “Yeah, Wyatt.  You act like that’s the first time you heard about us.  Hell, we were together for three years.”  She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat staring at her with his mouth hanging open, “Are you sure you’re alright?” 

 

Wyatt shook his head, “Yeah, I’m – I’m just – I’m fine.”  But he was far from fine.  If he and Jess had been divorced for three years, and she was with that handsy bastard for three years then that meant – “So, it was because of him…I mean, what happened to us?”

 

Jessica’s eyes narrowed at him, “I guess you could say that.  I mean, after that night in the bar, we pretty much knew it was over, didn’t we?”  She scoffed. “I can’t believe I stayed with you for another four months after that.”

 

Wyatt was floored. That evening had been the end of their marriage telegram or no telegram.  He had needed a redo alright, but apparently, he needed more than just to save her life, he needed to save their whole marriage.  “I made a mistake, Jessica.  I’m so sorry.  You have no idea how much I regret that night-“ started Wyatt, but Jessica cut him off.

 

“Save it, Wyatt.  You’ve told me that so many times now, it’s starting to sound like a broken record.  You gonna tell me how much you love me, too?”  She asked with a sneer.

 

“I did, I mean, I do.” – Wyatt protested.  As soon as the words left his mouth, Wyatt knew he shouldn’t have said them.  Rufus was right, this Jessica had been alive for the past five years, had divorced him and had moved on…and so had Wyatt….with Lucy.  He looked down and saw his wedding ring staring back at him. 

 

 _Shit._  

 

Jessica raised her eyebrows at him.  “So, _there is_ trouble in paradise?”

 

“No! I mean…I don’t…” Wyatt was completely flustered.  This situation was getting more and more awkward by the second. 

 

“Well, I sure hope you don’t love me seeing that you’re married, Wyatt.” she said mockingly.

 

Wyatt wanted to ask “what if I wasn’t?” but he found that for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.  It seemed like a betrayal of Lucy…which was strange since he had felt that his marriage to _her_ was a betrayal of Jessica.  Lord help him, he led a strange life. 

 

Instead, Wyatt took a deep breath to try to compose himself.  He decided to just address the one issue that had been haunting him since he first saw her name and their marital status in his personnel file.  “I just was thinking about how things fell apart with us and I just had to talk to you about it, that’s all” 

 

“Wow, how many times are we gonna go through this?”  Jessica sighed, “You were married to your job and I wanted more than you could give.” Wyatt frowned and hung his head.  “Don’t beat yourself up over it – I knew what I was getting into when I married you.  I just wasn’t expecting so much.  Deployment after deployment, move after move, late nights, early mornings – Wyatt, we never saw each other.”  She shook his shoulder, “Hey, It’s not your fault, it’s the job, I get it…but we both wanted different things.” 

 

Wyatt protested, “But Jess, you and I we…we were perfect for each other.  I mean, we wanted to be together forever.  We were happy.”

 

Jessice smiled at him sadly, “People change, Wyatt.  We changed. Do you honestly believe that the last year of our marriage was happy?  Hell, the last two years of our marriage all we did was fight.”  Wyatt made to argue, but Jessica stopped him.  “Wyatt, remember that night at the Pelican Lounge?” He gulped, of course he did – that was the night she was murdered.  “It was our first date in months and then you went nuts because Jeff said hello to me at the bar.  Nothing was going on then, but dammit Wyatt you made me wish something had been, so I wouldn’t have had to get in that truck with you.” She shook her head in frustration, “You know, I almost asked you to pull over – I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had, if I would have left you earlier.”

 

Tears sprang to Wyatt’s eyes.  Yes, she would’ve left him earlier.  Wyatt knew that – but it wouldn’t have been in the way she was thinking.  He sighed.  That night would have been the end of his marriage either way.  Whether Jessica lived or died, that stupid fight at the Pelican Lounge had been the death knoll of their once happy life together. Had they really been that miserable for two years?  How could he have forgotten that?  But as he sat there in Jessica’s living room, mulling over her words, it seemed as if a cloud had been lifted from his mind and their entire marriage, the good and the bad, was suddenly spread before him, like a book he could read.  They had been happy, once.  But as Jessica said, the stress and rigors of military life had worn away at them.  She wanted to settle down, he wanted another mission.  He now recalled marriage counseling sessions in which she accused him of volunteering for deployments so that he could avoid the responsibility of parenthood.  Jessica had wanted a son, but Wyatt, had never admitted that he was too afraid to wind up like his father to give it a shot.  Her accusations and lack of understanding had made him resent her and it only drove them further apart.  He started spending less and less time at home and she started spending more and more time out with friends and away from him.  The few times they were together, they either didn’t talk or they fought. 

 

He exhaled slowly, “Jessica, I’m not who I was then.”  That was true.  He had changed.  Jessica’s death had made him appreciate what he had lost, but there was something more than that.  His job at Mason Industries had thrown him into the midst of one Lucy Preston and one Rufus Carlin.  Rufus had taught him the importance of family, loyalty and true friendship. Lucy, well Lucy, had saved his life. He was a mess after Jessica’s death – reckless and hotheaded.  He was ready to end it all during that Alamo mission, but she pulled him back from the brink.  She had told him that she needed him – and it had been so long since anybody had needed him. He could almost feel her hands on his face and hear the desperation in her voice.  God, he missed her.    

 

“Wyatt,” Jessica said with a sigh bringing him back to the present, “I think both of us have grown a lot since then.  We were so young and stupid when we got married.  We never had a chance to really grow up.”  She placed a hand on his knee, “I think the divorce was the best thing that could have happened to us, don’t you?  I mean you’ve got Lucy now.” 

 

But did he?  With her utterance of Lucy’s name, Wyatt suddenly felt terribly alone.  Rufus’ words were echoing in his brain “If you go after Jessica, you stand to lose Lucy” and after their last conversation he was almost certain he had.  The woman who had saved his life, who had needed him…and if he were being totally honest, whom _he_ needed, was slipping away from him and it was all his fault.  “I don’t know, Jessica.  I’ve made a mess of everything.” He said bitterly.      

 

Jessica took his face in both of her hands and looked him square in the eyes, “This is the second time you’ve come to my place beating yourself up over past mistakes.  Wyatt, you can’t change the past, so quit worrying about it.  You aren’t the same man you were when we were married, Wyatt…so quit telling yourself you aren’t worth a second chance when you start brooding about what happened between us.  I told you then, and I’m telling you now, I forgive you, so let it go.” Wyatt stared at her, amazed.   “I know that’s what this is.” She dropped her hands from his face and gave him a skeptical smirk.  “Like I said, you can’t fool me.  I know a brooding Wyatt when I see one.”  

 

Wyatt stammered, “I-I don’t know what to say Jess.”  It was true, he didn’t know what to say.  Seeing Jessica alive had been the answer to every prayer he had made since she had died five years ago.  But being confronted with the cold hard truth of the marriage he idealized?  That was a tough pill to swallow.  Knowing how badly he screwed up with Jessica and knowing how badly he was currently messing things up with Lucy, he felt that maybe he hadn’t grown much after all.  “I just want to let you know how sorry I am…for everything.” 

 

Jessica smiled at him, “Tell you what, you can help me move into my apartment in San Francisco and we’ll call it even.  We can even grab dinner together,- you me and your Mrs.  Sound like a plan?”

   

Wyatt was about to reply in the affirmative when he remembered that Lucy and he were barely speaking to each other.  He wanted nothing more than to introduce Lucy to Jessica, which he found a bit odd, but for some reason he felt like it was the right thing to do.  He suddenly felt very anxious about his worsening relationship with Lucy and he was feeling desperate to get back to San Francisco.  They had probably returned from the mission by now and Wyatt wondered with a tinge of hope if they…or rather, if she, had missed him at all.    

 

He was still fumbling for an answer when his phone buzzed in his pocket.  Thankful for a distraction, any distraction, Wyatt pulled it out quickly, hoping that whatever it was would at least buy him enough time to think of a suitable answer to Jessica’s question.

 

He needn’t have worried, however, because the text that flashed on the screen was enough to send him racing for the door in a state of panic.  “Jess, I’m so sorry.  I’ve got to go.  I – I have to get back.”

 

Jessica looked up at him in stunned surprise, “Um..yeah.  Sure.  I’ll send you a text about dinner then?  She got up and crossed to the door as Wyatt was running out of it, “Is everything okay?” she called to him.

 

But Wyatt didn’t answer, he was already jumping in his Jeep and jamming his keys in the ignition.  He cursed himself as he sped along towards the highway – he should never have left, he should’ve been there.   It was an eight-hour drive back to San Francisco, but Wyatt would make it in six if he could manage it – one single notion dominating his thoughts – he was going to kill Dave Baumgardner.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you listen to your Broadway playlist while typing away. My daughter absolutely loves *some* of the music from Hamilton (have to be careful with that one for young ears) and so she inspired me with her constant renditions of "Not throwing away my shot" for some of this chapter. I've got more Hamilton arguments waiting in the wings for a further chapter - because I HAVE to get Wyatt involved in this discussion.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, let me just say how much I appreciate the love that you all have shown this story. It really does blow me away. 
> 
> Second, I have good news. This chapter was originally REALLY REALLY long. So part of it was cut and put into Chapter 10...and part of Chapter 10 was cut and put into Chapter 11. Which means that I have two almost completed chapters waiting in the wings after this. They aren't quite ready, but I should be able to post them SOON. I know how much we all love that word, but I'm using it the way normal people use it. I promise, it won't be long. 
> 
> Happy reading - and thanks again for doing so!

_A few hours earlier…_

 

Leaving Rufus and Lucy crouched behind the wagon cart, Bam Bam made his way over to a nearby lamp post. The skinny pole offered little concealment, but there was no time to try to find a more suitable option.  The crowd was growing more violent and the faux officer was now backing himself up until he was almost flush with his men. Dave Baumgardner took careful aim and sent a shot towards the man who was masquerading as Captain Thomas Preston. 

 

A cry rang out from the ranks as “Captain Preston” crumbled to the ground, and the yells of the crowd were suddenly punctured with the reports of musket fire.  The loud cracks echoed in the cold night air, making it seem as if the entire square was surrounded by gunfire.  Bam Bam was immediately drawn into a fight as the other disguised soldier, dropped his musket, pulled out his own weapon and began firing it towards the pile of crates Bam Bam had just ducked behind.   

 

The horse hitched to the wagon cart panicked and Lucy and Rufus found themselves suddenly exposed as pandemonium erupted in the streets.  Four hundred people were now running in every direction and Lucy was sure that if they didn’t get out of there soon, they would be trampled.  She grabbed Rufus’ arm to pull him towards the direction of Dave Baumgardner, but they had only gotten a few feet before Rufus let out a yelp and fell to the ground. 

 

“Rufus?!” yelled Lucy as she looked back and saw her friend lying on the rough cobblestones clutching his leg and wincing in pain.  She bent over him, trying to assess the damage…not that she knew the first thing about bullet wounds.

 

Blood was seeping through his fingers and he was muttering curse words through gritted teeth.  Lucy scanned the turbulent sight of a town in uproar and finally caught sight of their soldier.  “Over here!” she yelled desperately, trying to help Rufus maintain pressure on his wound.  But Bam Bam had problems of his own.  He and Flynn’s henchman were battling it out amid a crowd of panicked and angry Bostonians, the entire square was in upheaval with people running in every direction.   

 

Lucy wrung her hands taking in the tumultuous scene around them, there was no way she was going to be able to carry Rufus to safety on her own and they were completely exposed. She ripped off a piece of her skirt and wrapped it quickly around Rufus’ leg to help stem the bleeding.  She scanned the street for any place to take cover. “Okay, Rufus I’m going to try to drag you to that building over there.  Do you think you can handle that?”  she asked with real concern. 

 

Rufus nodded, his eyes and his jaw clenched shut in pain.  Lucy grabbed him under his arms and proceeded to pull him out of the street and over to the shelter of a set of townhouse steps.  She propped him up to sit so that his head wasn’t laying on the ground and he could better survey the scene around them.  The street was clearing out now, but Bam Bam was nowhere to be seen.  Apparently, he had taken his fight with Flynn’s henchman elsewhere.  Wyatt would have never left them, Lucy thought ruefully. 

 

It was bitterly cold and Rufus’ teeth were chattering.  Lucy took off her cloak, covering him, despite his protests.  “Don’t be silly, Rufus.  Like Bam Bam said, I have more layers on than you.”  But she was getting anxious now, the cold air notwithstanding, Rufus was bleeding badly and they needed him to get back.  If he died out here, they were going to be stranded in 1770.

 

They.

 

She didn’t even know at this point, if there would be a “they” stranded here.  It could just be her.  Where the hell was Dave Baumgardner?  Did he get shot?  Was he lying injured somewhere like Rufus?  Did Flynn take off with him?  They couldn’t wait for him forever but there was no way Lucy was going to be able to get Rufus back to the Lifeboat alone…and she’d be damned if she was going to brave the 18thcentury on her own.  After another few tense minutes passed, Lucy harshly whispered, “I’m going to go try and find some help, Rufus.  You stay here…and please don’t die.”   

   

Rufus gave a forced laugh through the pain, “Thanks for trying to make me feel better Lucy, but seriously don’t joke about that.” When he looked up and saw the expression on her face, he gaped at her, “Are you crazy?  You’re not seriously going to leave me here?” 

 

She glared at him, “Would you rather I stay here watch you bleed to death?” If Bam Bam comes back, you won’t be alone.”  She patted his shoulder, “I won’t be long.”

 

Rufus grabbed her arm as she made to run off, “And what happens if you run into Flynn?  I don’t like it, Lucy and if Wyatt were here, he wouldn’t like it either.”

 

“Wyatt isn’t here, is he, Rufus?” Lucy snapped.  “So, it doesn’t matter what he thinks.  And you’re hardly in any position to stop me.”

 

Ignoring Rufus’ murmurings about her “damned stubbornness” Lucy ran off into the night, looking for a tavern or someplace where she could get something…anything to help Rufus with the pain and if need be, someone to help her carry him closer to where the LifeBoat was hidden. 

 

Not far from where Rufus lay, she found a public house.  Not quite knowing how the people of 1770 Boston would react to the presence of an unaccompanied woman in their midst, she was more than a little nervous about venturing inside. She was just about to open the door, when a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention.  She turned her head just in time to see the retreating figure of Garcia Flynn and he appeared to be carrying something or someone around the back of the public house.  Looking back in the direction of Rufus, she steeled herself and took off after Flynn praying to God that he wouldn’t take off with her again and leave Rufus bleeding to death in the 18thcentury.  She knew he would never forgive her for that. 

 

As Lucy inched her way around the side of the tavern, she was very happy that she followed her instinct and trailed Flynn, because there, tied to a post was none other than Dave Baumgardner.  Flynn whispered something to one of his henchman and then entered the public house at the rear entrance, leaving Bam Bam outside with only one very formidable looking guard.  Lucy braced herself and looked for a weapon…any weapon she could find.  Dammit how she wished Wyatt were here. 

 

She found a discarded club…probably from one of the rioters from earlier and she inched her way into the back lot of the building.  Flynn’s goon had his back to her facing Bam Bam so it was easy for her to sneak up behind him and hit him in the head, but unfortunately for Lucy it didn’t go quite the way she had hoped, because all it did was turn his attention from Dave Baumgarder, onto her.  While he was shaking off the blow to his skull, she darted past him as quickly as she could, her numb fingers desperately working the knots around Bam Bam’s hands.  “Watch out” Bam Bam called out as Flynn’s henchman lunged at her.  He grabbed her around the waist and flung her to the ground, absolutely knocking the wind out of her and causing her to hit her head against the edge of a spade shovel.  He picked up the club that she had, (as she now realized, very foolishly) flung to the ground.  Bam Bam, however, had just worked his hands out of the knots and proceeded to beat the shit out of his former captor before he could inflict any more damage on either of them.

 

Once Dave Baumgarder had knocked the man out cold, Lucy winced as she slowly got to her feet. “Are you alright? “he asked. “Damn that was pretty impressive for an historian.”  He gave her a wink.  “You keep surprising me, Lucy Preston.  How’d you find me?”

 

“Rufus has been shot” Lucy gasped out, still trying to catch her breath.  “I came to get him something for the pain, it looks pretty bad.”

 

“Well, you don’t look too hot yourself.” Bam Bam said, appraising her.  He ripped off the neckerchief he had been wearing and tied it around Lucy’s bleeding head.  if we want to get out of here without running into any more of these guys, we can’t go in there.” he explained, pointing towards the tavern.

 

Lucy nodded, “I know, I saw Garcia Flynn slip inside there just before” she pointed to the man laying sprawled at their feet, “I hit him.”

 

Bam Bam shook his head, “Not just him, that whole place is crawling with assholes he paid off. That’s how I wound up out here.”

 

Lucy rounded on him, “Wait a minute, what do you mean?  You were _in_ there?”

 

Bam Bam shrugged his shoulders, “I saved a guy’s life and he offered to buy me a drink.  I didn’t see you or Rufus so I figured you were already back at the LifeBoat.”

 

Lucy wanted to pull her hair and scream in frustration.  She was left alone with a bleeding, injured Rufus in the middle of the Boston Massacre while Bam Bam was kicking back at the local bar?  Wyatt would _never_ have done that.  She almost wanted to storm off, throw Rufus in a wheelbarrow and return to Mason Industries one team member short.  They could come back and pick him up later – she wouldn’t, but someone could.   

 

“So,” asked Bam Bam completely oblivious to her anger, “where is he?”   

 

Lucy sighed.  As much as she wanted to leave him in 1770, she was never going to be able to help Rufus on her own.  “This way” she muttered miserably.   

 

*************

 

Bam Bam rushed over and quickly began addressing Rufus’ wound.  “Dude, you got shot in the Boston Massacre, you’re a part of history now – that’s awesome!” 

 

Rufus glared at him, “Yeah, it’s swell.”  He winced in pain as Bam Bam ripped the material away from the wound so that he could ascertain the severity of the damage. 

 

Lucy looked away, blood made her lightheaded and she didn’t need any more help in that department since she was already feeling woozy from her run in with a shovel.  A cry from Rufus, however, made her turn her attention back to the crude operation going on before her.  “What is it?  What’s wrong?” she asked breathlessly as Bam Bam sat back in defeat.

 

“The musket ball is smashed in there pretty good, could be embedded in the bone.” Bam Bam shook his head ruefully.  “Those are nasty sonsofbitches.”

 

“Well,” breathed Lucy “we can’t stay here.  There are no doctors in the 18thcentury that can help him.”  She looked down at Rufus, “I mean, amputation was pretty much their answer for any kind of wound like this.”

 

Rufus’ head shot up in alarm, “Oh, hell no.  I will crawl back to the damn LifeBoat before I let one of these medieval medicine men touch me.” 

 

“It’s alright, I’ve got ya man.” Bam Bam grunted as he carefully lifted Rufus to his feet.  The pain from his leg, however, was too great and he crumpled almost immediately causing Lucy to rush to his side.  Rufus was panting and sweating despite the chilly air.  “We’re gonna need to get him out of here as soon as possible or he’s going to go into shock or completely pass out and then we’re screwed.”   

 

Lucy looked at Rufus desperately, “Do you think you can hang on for just a little longer, until we get you home?”  Rufus nodded and shakily put his arm around Lucy’s shoulders and together she and Bam Bam half-carried, half dragged Rufus back to Boston Common where the Life Boat was hidden. 

 

By the time Bam Bam lifted Rufus awkwardly into the time machine, he was shaking so violently that Lucy knew it could not be just from the cold.  Her head ached as she clambered into her seat, offering soothing and encouraging words to Rufus as he punched in the coordinates.  

 

As soon as the LifeBoat hatch opened to Mason Industries in the present day, Bam Bam called for the medical team.  Rufus was in a bad state, and Lucy was faring no better.  The time jump had made her already aching head, feel like it was splitting open.  She took one step out of the Life Boat and nearly collapsed on the floor, holding her bleeding head and wincing in pain.  Bam Bam steadied her until the medical team arrived with stretchers for the two wounded team mates. 

 

Agent Christopher looked on with alarm as they were whisked away.  Never had the team come back looking so worse for wear…and the fact that their soldier was relatively unharmed made her quirk her eyebrow in suspicion.  “Alright, Master Sergeant – care to tell me what happened out there?”

 

Bam Bam gave her a sheepish smile. 

     

 

********

Wyatt had sped the entire way up the coast and was now racing into the parking lot of Mason Industries. The words of Agent Christopher’s text, and another one from Jiya burned into his mind like a branding iron. Jiya’s text had sent him flying to Jessica’s door in a state of panic.

 

  _L & R both rushed to med.  If u don’t kick BBs ass, I will. -J _

Agent Christopher’s had been a little less dramatic, but left no doubt in Wyatt’s mind that whatever happened on that mission, it was Dave Baumgardner’s fault.

 

_Baumgardner suspended, pending further review._

 Wyatt threw the door to the warehouse open and jogged down the long corridor of Mason Industries.  He was just turning the corner to the medical bay when he ran smack into his old Delta Force buddy. 

 

“Hey, Wyatt!  You’re back!” Bam Bam exclaimed in surprise.

 

But he was in for a bigger surprise as Wyatt grabbed his friend by the shirt front and slammed him against the wall.  “What the hell Bam Bam?  Why did I get a text from Agent Christopher telling me that your ass was suspended?  Huh?   What the hell did you do?”   

 

Bam Bam raised up his hands in surrender, “Look, I’m sorry, okay?  It was my mistake and I owned up to it.  I didn’t know Rufus was injured, I didn’t see them and I just assumed they had made their way back to the LifeBoat when all that shit went down with the Massacre.”  Wyatt stared at him incredulously, “I never would have left them behind if I knew he had gotten shot.”

 

To say Wyatt was furious was an understatement, “Rufus was _shot_?”  And Lucy? What the hell happened to her?  How could you leave her?  How could you leave her when Flynn and his band of assholes could have grabbed her at any second?”

 

Dave Baumgardner shook his head at Wyatt in surprise, “Relax!  It was just a bump on the head” Wyatt eased his grip on his shirt, “Hell, she was amazing. She came along and saved my ass as well as Rufus’” 

 

Bam Bam’s praise of Lucy did little to diminish the amount of ire Wyatt was feeling towards his old friend at the moment.  Though he was proud that Lucy had stepped up to the plate and saved them all, he was pissed at Bam Bam, for causing her to take on a role she was never equipped for. More than that, he was angry at himself for not being there with them in the first place.  Wyatt glowered at Dave Baumgardner, “She should have never been put in that position to begin with.  She’s a civilian, she’s not a soldier.”  Wyatt pushed roughly against Bam Bam’s chest as he stepped away from him.  “So, what happened, Baumgardner?  Did you run off after Flynn to play the hero, leaving my team behind, unprotected?  Or were you chasing after some woman again, like that time in Paris?”

 

“He went out for a drink” Agent Christopher’s voice called from the end of the hall.  Wyatt cursed and immediately slammed into his friend again. He left Lucy and Rufus unprotected and alone so that he could grab a drink?   Screw the ass kicking, he was going with his first impulse, he was going to kill him.  Bam Bam ducked his head just in time causing Wyatt’s fist to smash into the wall. “That’s enough, gentleman.  Master Sergeant Baumgardner you may go, Wyatt come with me, please.” 

 

Wyatt gave Bam Bam one last long glare before making his way into a small conference room near the medical bay.  “I should’ve never left the team, ma’am.  I’m sorry.”

 

“You are not responsible for the actions of Master Sergeant Baumgardner” Agent Christopher lectured, “and he is still on retainer as you are technically still on leave.”  Wyatt made to argue, but she lifted her finger to silence him, “Lucy made it perfectly clear that while his actions caused them considerable trouble, the mission would not have been a success without him. His suspension is more a formality than anything else.”  She sighed miserably.  “We can’t keep calling people into a top-secret project every time one of you gets benched.”  She cleared her throat, “And we may be forced to use him in the not so near future, so we’re stuck with him.  I hope you two can put aside your differences.”

 

Wyatt nodded, unsure of what she meant.  Did they think that because he left to see Jessica he was going to leave the team? Maybe Lucy didn’t want to work with him anymore and so they needed Wyatt to train Bam Bam for future missions.   The thought made Wyatt sick with regret, but he couldn’t focus on that right now, he was only worried about one thing, “Where is she?” Wyatt asked, his voice full of concern. 

 

“Lucy left here about an hour ago, she was cleared medically and so I saw no reason for her to stay.” At Wyatt’s pleading look, she elaborated, “She had a slight concussion, some bruising and needed about a dozen stitches on her forehead.”

 

Wyatt swallowed hard.  She had never been injured on a mission before.  Even when Flynn had kidnapped her and she had been taken by that damn serial killer, Wyatt had gotten to her before any lasting physical damage could be done.  The thought of her hurt and bleeding made his stomach turn, so he tried to focus on the other member of his team.  “And Rufus?” 

 

 “Mr. Carlin, was shot in the leg by musket fire and while the injury wasn’t as extensive as first feared, he remains here under observation.” At Wyatt’s questioning glance she continued, “He had gone into shock by the time he arrived and the doctors would like to see him a little more stabilized before releasing him.  Jiya is with him, now.”  Wyatt cursed under his breath.   If Bam Bam hadn’t gone out to celebrate, Rufus could’ve gotten them back earlier and maybe, just maybe he wouldn’t have gone into shock.  Agent Christopher studied him carefully, “This was not your fault.  The mission was a success, despite the problems and you should be proud of the team. Lucy, in particular.  I’m told she saved the lives of both Rufus and Dave Baumgardner…though she, herself, won’t take any credit for it.” _Of course, she wouldn’t._   Wyatt thought, it was Lucy after all.  She had saved his life more times than he cared to admit.  Agent Christopher pushed a file in front of him, “The mission de-brief, if you’d like to read it.”  She eyed Wyatt’s bleeding knuckles as he took the file from her.  “I want you to stop by medical before leaving here, that should be wrapped.”


	10. Chapter 10

Lucy stared at the calendar reminder on her phone cursing her bad luck.  She ran her fingers over the stitches on the side of her forehead. How in the world was she going to explain to her mother how she ended up with these things?  It was bad enough that her mother thought she had thrown her life away with this new job, and then there was her breakup with Noah and subsequent marriage to Wyatt, but this?  The minute she saw these stitches she was going to go ballistic and Lucy wasn’t sure if, on top of everything else that had gone south in her life lately, she could handle yet another lecture from her mother on the consequences of her “poor choices.”  It certainly seemed that she was right, though, didn’t it?  Her husband was off trying to patch things up with his ex-wife and Lucy had just spent the last several hours dragging one of her dearest friends through the streets of Boston, while bleeding profusely from her forehead.  She didn’t even have a place to call home anymore.  She appreciated all that Jiya had done for her, but somehow sleeping on a futon in your friend’s living room wasn’t the same as having your own bed.

 

Now as she stood outside the door of what used to be her home with Wyatt, she felt all the awkwardness of her situation.  This was her home and she had every right to be there, but she couldn’t help but feel that to go in, she would somehow be trespassing.  The Wyatt who lived here was not _her_   Wyatt, and while he was really the stranger in this timeline, this apartment had been his first, and Lucy didn’t feel right about making _him_   find another place to stay.  Her current dilemma lay in the fact that she had a planning committee meeting tomorrow evening, followed the next night, by a dinner with her mother and the Liberal Arts Dean, which meant she was going to need a dress and her Stanford badge – both of which lay in that apartment.  Wyatt was most likely not at home, which gave her some comfort as she stood awkwardly outside her own front door.  It was an eight-hour drive to San Diego and so even if he had left yesterday to go see Jessica, chances of him coming back today were relatively slim. Besides, she bitterly admitted, he was on leave and would most likely want to spend as much time with his _wife_ as he possibly could.  Despite those conclusions and the fact that she did not see his Jeep, she still knocked on the door…just in case.  When it was clear that her instincts were correct, she sighed heavily, fitted her key in the lock and walked in. 

 

The sight that met her eyes was discomforting at best.  Photo albums strewn all over the place, a bottle of Jack Daniels sitting open on the coffee table, and cushions askew on the couch.  She  shook off her coat, set down her purse and keys and began straightening up the place. It may not have been her mess, but she still felt responsible for it in more ways than one.  Though _this_ Wyatt may not have wanted to admit it, this was her home and she felt a sort of pride in that.  However, it was _because_ this Wyatt was not _her_   Wyatt that the place looked like this to begin with. She could’ve been angry about it, she supposed, but instead she looked around and saw desperation.  A desperation to understand a life that he did not know and it made her unbelievably frustrated and sad.  She had wanted to help him, but he kept pushing her away until finally she just stopped trying – it hurt too much to realize that she was the source of his misery.  Now that he was where he wanted to be and with whom he wanted to be with, she hoped he would be happy.

 

She wouldn’t be…but she was getting used to disappointment these days.    

 

She never knew exactly what had happened when _her_   Wyatt had gone to see Jessica in her timeline.  He had gone, but even though she and Wyatt were “engaged” they were little more than friends, and so he didn’t say much about it to her, other than it was something he needed to do.  She didn’t feel it was her place to ask and when they did become a couple, she didn’t think it was necessary.  He had moved on and if he wasn’t looking back, why should she?  She had no idea if Jessica had moved on, if she was involved with someone or if she and Wyatt had even gotten along.  She only knew that Wyatt had gone there desperate to see her and came back more at peace than she had ever seen him. 

 

She harbored a small hope that the same might be said for _this_ Wyatt.  As much as it hurt her to see him go, she knew that he would not be satisfied until he went.  However, this time she had far more to lose and knowing, as she did, how much he wanted out of this marriage with her – she half wondered if that wouldn’t give him more motivation to stay behind and fight for Jessica – the woman he repeatedly referred to as “the only one for him.”.  

 

After cleaning the mess in the living room, Lucy made her way to the bathroom.  She needed a shower and wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but she had no idea when Wyatt would be back and she didn’t want to make their situation any more awkward than it already was.  But where the hell was she going to go?  To Jiya’s?  Alone? If she thought coming to her own apartment was awkward, it was nothing to what it would be like to stay at Jiya’s place without Jiya there.   She could go to her mother’s, but then she’d have to answer uncomfortable questions a little earlier than she was prepared for and she didn’t want to face that tonight.  She was too exhausted from the stress of the day to deal with her mother’s antics.  A hotel?  That was always a possibility…but as she made her way into her bedroom, the lure of her bed was becoming harder and harder to resist.  She decided that a nap wouldn’t hurt, she would shower, change into loungers and get a few hours of sleep and then she would leave.  She’d go to Mason, to her mother’s, to a hotel…any place but here.

 

*******

 

Wyatt left Mason Industries several hours after he had arrived.  He read and re-read the mission debrief so many times that he almost had the whole thing memorized.  Lucy had naturally figured out Flynn’s plan, Bam Bam had made an amazing last minute shot to avoid disaster, but then all hell broke loose.  Bam Bam’s account reminded him of serving with him in Delta Force.  He had gotten into a pretty tight spot with one of Flynn’s henchman which ended up in a hostage situation.  Cool headed under pressure, as Wyatt knew him to be, Bam Bam had taken him out with one shot to the head.  The gentleman he saved, offered to buy him a drink and Dave Baumgardner stupidly agreed after quickly glancing around, seeing no Lucy and Rufus in sight.  He had been in the tavern for only a few minutes before he was dragged out by Flynn and a few of his hired toughs and tied to a post in the back. 

 

_Idiot._

Lucy’s account had made Wyatt’s hair stand on end as he had read it over and over again obsessing over every instance where she could have been killed, taken, or hurt worse than she already was.  His fears were compounded when he read about Rufus’ injury and the state he had been in when they finally got him back to the LifeBoat.  Rufus could have died.  Apart from losing a friend, the team would’ve lost their pilot…and their way back home.  She would’ve been lost to him forever and forced to live out the rest of her life in the 18thcentury…with only Bam Bam for company. That thought made Wyatt rage with more than just anger as he imagined the two of them, together, trying to eke out a living in colonial times. 

 

As he had pored over her account, he was at once filled with horror and pride at every instance where Lucy had gone above and beyond her role as the team historian.  Reading how Lucy had dragged a bleeding and wounded Rufus out of the street on her own, how she had bravely gone for help despite Rufus’ protests, how she had followed her instincts and ended up rescuing Bam Bam caused Wyatt to sit back in awe of her resilience under pressure.  He knew she was stronger than she gave herself credit for, but the fact that she had done all of this with little to no help in a century so far removed from the present, filled him with immense pride.  She had saved them all. 

 

With that pride, however, came the horror of knowing that Lucy had struggled and suffered on her own because the person tasked with her protection had failed in his duty to the team. She had sat there waiting for help that would never come, she had gone off alone in the night, leaving Rufus behind, in an effort to save their lives and get them home.  Rufus had begged her not to go.  Wyatt shuddered to think what would have happened if she hadn't and it made him even more ill to think what could have happened to her if she had walked into that tavern filled with Flynn’s hired thugs.  It was already bad enough that she was almost killed saving Bam Bam’s miserable life, but to know that all of that happened because he had neglected them?  Wyatt could barely contain himself.  Bam Bam was responsible for this mess, that was certain, but none of it would have happened if Wyatt had been where he belonged in the first place.   

    

He stopped in to see Rufus for a few minutes, but as he was heavily sedated, he only got to talk to a very concerned looking Jiya.  She, like him, was furious at Dave Baumgardner…not just for what had happened to Rufus, but for what could have happened to Lucy.  She kept impressing upon Wyatt how very lucky Lucy was that she had walked away with minimal injuries and how relieved she was that nothing worse had happened. While he was grateful that Jiya cared about Lucy so much, her repeated fears about Lucy’s well-being started making Wyatt feel a little anxious; that perhaps Lucy was far more injured than either the brief or Agent Christopher had let on. With Jiya at Mason with Rufus, Wyatt suddenly worried about Lucy being alone and he felt a new tug of guilt when he remembered why she was at Jiya’s in the first place.  Maybe, he thought miserably, she had gone to her mother’s. 

 

He slowly made his way up the stairs to his apartment, wondering if he could ever patch things up with her, especially after what had happened on this mission.  Surely this was just another reason she would have to despise him.  His being with Jessica instead of with the team had led to chaos, to put it quite bluntly, and no matter how many times Agent Christopher told him he was not responsible, he knew that indirectly, at least, he was. 

 

He sighed as he opened his apartment door, bracing himself for the barrage of emotions that came with this new apartment where everything reminded him of his once close relationship with Lucy Preston; a relationship that was everyday slipping away from him. As soon as he flipped on the light switch however, his heart began to hammer in his chest.  Looking around his apartment, it was clear that somebody had straightened the place up.  He had definitely not left it like this.  For a moment, he almost feared that he had walked into another new timeline, but then he remembered he had just read the mission debrief and everything had seemed as it had before he left, minus Lucy and Rufus’ injuries.   No, someone had been here and it had to have been Lucy. 

 

Why wouldn’t she have come back here?  This was her home after all…well, at least _this_ Lucy and he had hated himself for basically driving her away from it.  He would’ve stayed on the couch, he would’ve slept on the floor, he would’ve done anything for Lucy to make her feel comfortable. But she had selflessly (and, Wyatt thought, foolishly) believed that by leaving him here alone she was helping him by giving him space.  However, all it did was make him miss her all the more.  There was evidence of her everywhere in this apartment, but physically, she was miles away.  That fact had eaten Wyatt up with regret and guilt since that very first night he arrived in this timeline.

 

Setting down his phone and jacket, he walked softly to the bedroom door, believing it was too much to hope that she might still be here; It was deathly quiet after all, and it wasn’t _that_ late.  Steeling himself for disappointment, he eased open the bedroom door with a gentle push. As the door swung open, surprise, relief, and utter happiness stole over him when he saw that she was actually there… _in his bed._ His heart nearly leapt out of his chest at the sight of Lucy, propped up to almost sitting, head tilted to the side, asleep.  He inched his way over to her, noticing with a smile, that she had once again, fallen asleep with a book open on her chest.  He tenderly pushed back the comforter and eased her down into the sheets, taking care that he didn’t jar her too much and wake her.  Seeing her beautiful, ivory skin marred with a jagged line of stitches caused him to feel a fresh wave of anger towards Bam Bam. As softly as he could, he allowed his fingers to brush against them, regretting all the more the fact that he hadn’t been there to keep her safe.  After turning off her bedside lamp, Wyatt pulled the comforter up over her shoulder, allowing his hand to rest on her softly for just a moment.  He was almost about to back away, when Lucy nestled deeper into the covers, hummed in her sleep, and murmured a sleepy, “I love you, Wyatt”. 

 

His heart almost stopped. 

 

He knew that those words weren’t meant for him.  Not _this_ him, anyway.  Yet, as he stood there hovering over her, terrified to wake her up and break the spell, he found that he wanted nothing more than to be _that_  Wyatt.  She meant more to him than he ever wanted to admit, burdened as he was with his guilt and loyalty to Jessica, but right now, in this moment, all he could see was her. He thought that after seeing his former wife it would put his feelings for Lucy in check, but he was slowly starting to realize that the opposite was true.  Seeing Jessica had thrown these two women into sharp contrast for him and it was surprisingly Lucy who was first and foremost in his heart and mind.

 

Fighting the urge to just take her in his arms and kiss her, he compromised, by leaning over to gently press a soft kiss to her forehead.  He slowly backed away, not wanting to take his eyes from her, and quietly gathered his things for bed. He crept silently out of the room and took care to ease the door shut behind him. 

 

Once on the other side of the door, Wyatt let out the breath he had been holding.  There was something so comforting about the knowledge that she was here.  At home. With him.  Wyatt felt for the first time since he arrived in this new life, that he would be able to sleep without the added help of whiskey.  He had just changed his clothes and reclined himself down on the couch when he was suddenly filled with anxiety.  _His_ feelings for Lucy had only gotten stronger with this visit to Jess, but Lucy?  As far as he was aware Lucy detested him…at least _this_ version of him. He couldn’t blame her, after everything he had put her through in this past week.  He thought back to their last conversation, and he began to doubt that she would be pleased to see him the following morning.  Instead of the peaceful night of sleep he had hoped to get, he lay away for hours thinking of what in the world he could say to Lucy to repair the damage he had done to their relationship.       

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than I had originally intended it to be, but I'm once again shifting a few things around and I felt ending this chapter here was better than ending it where I was going to originally. It just flows better ending it here. But that means Chapter 11 will be ready sooner than I anticipated and that some of 11 can actually be shifted to 12....so really, it just means you're going to get more chapters in a shorter amount of time instead of having to wait for a week or more until I get get everything smoothed out.
> 
> As always, I hope you have enjoyed this update. As this goes on, I get more and more anxious to make this story live up to everyone's hopes and expectations....including my own. 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading and reviewing.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG you guys!!!!!! WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!!!!! I only had a little bit left to edit on this chapter and I REALLY wasn't even going to look at it today, but after that announcement I figured this would be a great way to share my excitement with all of you wonderful readers. SO SURPRISE - Here's the next chapter! I'm rounding out Chapter 12, but since I did NOTHING but tweet and edit this afternoon out of sheer excitement and joy, I'm going to have to take a few days to get THAT chapter ready for you. I hope you understand. HAPPY READING and let's all take a moment and raise our glasses to Jan, who, as it turns out, is alive and well after all. 
> 
>  
> 
> PS - Share your love of Timeless and keep up the tweeting and the sharing, we want a massive audience for that finale. Chris from Sony says that if we make enough noise, we might still get picked up elsewhere for EVEN more Timeless. It's up to us - we've Saved Rufus, now we can save our show!! 
> 
> Cheers!

The next morning, Wyatt was up and dressed before dawn.  He quickly and quietly left the apartment, literally running down the street to pick up some fresh bagels and coffee, hoping against all hope that Lucy wouldn’t wake up and leave before he got back.  Racing up the stairs as fast as he dared with two coffees, he eased back into the apartment as silently as he left it.  He had just set the bag and the coffees down on the counter when Lucy emerged from the bedroom.  Her hair mussed from sleep, barely aware of where she was, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, when she suddenly stopped short at the sight of him. 

 

The air hung heavy with tension as they stood there staring at each other.  Lucy’s mouth hung open looking as if she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.  “Oh” she said with an awkwardness that was too obvious to miss.  “You’re back.” She was wringing her hands so nervously that Wyatt almost felt guilty for being there at all.  

Maybe this was a bad idea.

 

“Hey, Lucy.” He muttered just as awkwardly to her as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, his face was lined with worry.  He was the reason she was feeling so damned uncomfortable and now that he saw her awake, she looked tired and pale.  The last thing she probably needed was for him to interrupt her much deserved rest. After all, she had been suffering through a rough week because of him, and with her head injury she had every right to expect to be left alone so she could recuperate.  However, after hearing those three little words last night, even if they weren’t for him, he was not about to walk away from the chance to at least win back the friendship he had so carelessly destroyed.     

 

Lucy was kicking herself for oversleeping.  She was only supposed to take a nap.  _Dang It._ Why hadn’t she just left last night? This awkwardness was exactly what she had wanted to avoid.  Wyatt was probably wondering why in the world she was in his apartment.  It was that first night all over again.  She had been staying with Jiya all week to give him space and the minute he came back from seeing Jessica, there Lucy was again, in his place, where she knew he believed she didn’t belong.  Panic stole over her as she gasped, “I-I’m sorry, I just-,” and then without another word, she retreated quickly back into the bedroom

 

Wyatt felt helpless and a little heartbroken as he watched her go.  He had half expected this reaction given how their last meeting had gone.  She was clearly upset that he was there, but he had to try.  He had to try to fix this. He took a deep breath and followed her, he wasn’t going to let her escape so easily this time.  He knocked on the door of the bedroom to find her pulling a dress out of the closet and fishing around for something in a small drawer.  She didn’t even look up as she breathlessly announced, “I’ll be out of your way in a minute.  I just need to-“

 

“No, Lucy, don’t…you don’t have to rush out of here.” Wyatt said with a little more force than he had anticipated.  She shrugged it off and paid him no mind, continuing to dig through her drawer, “Please, Lucy.  Don’t go.” he pleaded softly stepping a little further into the room.   The softness in his voice caused Lucy to pause and when she turned to face him, he nearly lost all of his nerve.   He swallowed hard and then with as much courage as he could muster he asked,  “How are you?  I mean, with your head and everything?”

 

Lucy stared at him for a moment before coming to her senses, “Fine.  I’m just fine.”  She stood there by the closet, her dress draped over her arm, acting as an almost shield against the man standing before her.  He looked desperate, though she wasn’t quite sure why.  She thought that maybe she should ask him about his trip, but she didn’t exactly know how to approach the subject without bringing to mind their last painfully uncomfortable conversation.

 

“Do you want some breakfast? I- I got you…I mean, us” he corrected himself, “I got _us_ breakfast” Wyatt stuttered as he pointed behind his shoulder towards the kitchen.  

 

Lucy seemed to be debating all of the pros and cons of eating a meal with Wyatt; the silence seemed to stretch on for hours before she finally nodded her head almost imperceptibly and whispered and almost inaudible “Okay.”  She set down her dress and followed him slowly out of the bedroom and back out towards the kitchen.

 

I…I got some bagels.” Wyatt pointed to the bag on the counter, embarrassed now that it wasn’t something more elaborate.  “The place is just down the street…I didn’t want to wake you by making anything here.”  He explained self-consciously.   

 

Confusion stole across Lucy’s face.  He didn’t want to wake her?  Lucy’s eyes fell on the bag and the _two_ coffees.  Why were there two coffees?  Her eyes scanned the apartment quickly.  She saw the throw blanket laying on the couch haphazardly, a pile of his clothes folded on the chair.  “When did you get here?”  she asked with mounting dread.  She had assumed that when he walked into the apartment this morning, he was fresh off his drive from San Diego.  Now, she was faced with the alarming notion that he had come home from his long drive, only to find _her_   in _his_  bed.

 

Wyatt cleared his throat, “Last night…around 8:30.”  She looked horrified, and covered her face with her hands which caused Wyatt to panic a little.  He swallowed hard and continued, “I..um got a message from Agent Christopher…and Jiya.”

 

Lucy’s eyes shot up in alarm.  Jiya. Jiya had been after her to talk with Wyatt before he left for San Diego. Coming back from the mission injured, had probably spurred her to do something desperate and Wyatt had come back out of some impassioned sense of loyalty. Great.  Just great.  She was going to murder Jiya.  She closed her eyes miserably “Look Wyatt...I know I should have-“she began, but Wyatt cut her off. 

 

“Lucy, it’s okay.  I’m not upset.”  Lucy stopped and bit her lip nervously, not even daring to look  him in the eye.   He continued on, “Well, I _am,_ but I know why you went off alone.” Lucy eyes darted to his, confused. “You did the right thing, going after Bam Bam.  It’s my fault.  If I would’ve been there you would’ve never been put in that position to begin with.”

 

“Oh” Lucy breathed out, relieved.  She wasn’t going to have to kill Jiya, after all.  Now realizing suddenly that Wyatt was talking about the mission, she furrowed her brow as she asked.  “So, wait a minute, why are you back?”

 

Wyatt took a tentative step towards her, not wanting to spook her since she looked like she was about to take off any second, pajamas and all.  “I…I just had to make sure you..you and Rufus…were alright.”

 

He had left San Diego, _Jessica_ – because they had a little trouble on the mission?  She wasn’t sure if she was touched or irritated by this revelation.  Touched because if Wyatt left out of concern, that had to mean _something_ , right? But, she reminded herself, this was _Wyatt_ , and here he was already saying that what had happened on this mission was _his_ fault.  He was not to blame for Dave Baumgardner’s actions, but she knew him well enough to know that his sense of duty and responsibility would have called him from the ends of the Earth no matter who was involved.  It was his job and Bam Bam had screwed it up.  So yes, maybe she was feeling a little irritated that he was told what had happened because it caused him to race back here feeling guilty for something he didn’t need to feel guilty for.  Lucy cleared her throat. “Wyatt, it wasn’t your fault.”  She scoffed, “I don’t even know why Agent Christopher contacted you.  I mean, you were on leave. You didn’t need to be worrying about us.”

 

Wyatt stared at her, unbelieving.  “I should’ve never left in the first place.”  Wyatt shook his head in frustration, “I told Bam Bam to watch over you both, I should’ve never trusted somebody else with your lives.”

 

This was exactly why Lucy was upset that Agent Christopher…and Jiya, apparently, had contacted Wyatt.  He was beating himself up over their injuries and no one blamed Wyatt, except himself. Lucy sighed, “Wyatt, it wasn’t all bad. He managed to save the mission. That’s the most important thing.” 

 

“No it’s not.” Wyatt countered.  He reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, lightly grazing her stitches as he did so. “You…and Rufus, you’re more important than the mission.” She scoffed at him.  He continued, “I mean it, Lucy.  How many times do I have to tell you that?  Do you know what a mess I would be in if something worse had happened to you?  Hell, what if Rufus had died?  You would’ve been stranded in 1770.”

 

“But he didn’t die, Wyatt…and we’re all fine.”  Lucy shook her head, frustrated that she was any part of the reason that Wyatt once again was kept from being with Jessica.  She didn’t need him to resent her any more than he already had for essentially taking Jessica’s place.  “You didn’t have to rush back here.  You were on leave.” She muttered miserably.

 

Wyatt’s face fell causing Lucy to look up at him in stunned silence.  He looked absolutely crestfallen.  Painful though it was to see him so distraught, Lucy was far more concerned that he be allowed the opportunity to focus on getting his life back together, no matter what the consequence to herself.  She could never live with herself, never be happy in any kind of relationship with Wyatt if she had thought that she had held him back in any way, shape, or form from being with the person who brought him the most happiness. It was the reason she had told Jiya that she would not and could not talk with him before his trip to see Jessica. 

 

Wyatt lowered his head and bit his lip. He had rushed back from San Diego with no expectations from Lucy. All he wanted was to assure himself that she was okay, that she and Rufus would pull through whatever mess Bam Bam had gotten them in, but now it was becoming clear that Lucy didn’t want him there.  Not as friend, not even as a team member.  He knew that his actions had done this, had driven this wedge between them, but he hadn’t thought that their relationship had deteriorated so much that she wouldn’t have expected him to at least be concerned about her well-being.  With a voice thick with emotion, Wyatt whispered, “Do you think that you and Rufus are just part of the job for me?  That I don’t care about what happens to either one of you?” He tossed his head in exasperation, “Jesus, Lucy as soon as I got that text, telling me that you were hurt, I came right back here.  I couldn’t have stayed away knowing -” He turned away from her bitterly.  “I don’t give a damn about that leave.  I wish to God I had never left.” 

 

At that, Lucy felt the sting of her own words.  He had just driven hours, obviously out of his mind with worry and here she was berating him for doing so.  She was touched by his concern, but she was far more concerned with him being called away unnecessarily.  He was trying to get his life back, trying to find happiness after so many cruel twists of fate – the last thing he needed was to be called back to their side when he was finally with Jessica after five long years apart.  “You can’t beat yourself up over hypotheticals.” Lucy said with a quiet gentleness.  Your coming or not coming wouldn’t have changed the fact that Rufus was shot.”

 

Wyatt turned back towards her, his voice wrought with frustration, “Lucy, I read the mission de-brief…you cannot tell me that things wouldn’t have been different if I had been there.”  His eyes searched hers as if daring her to contradict him.   

 

Lucy almost laughed, but instead, she gave him a dubious grin, “We’ve been separated on missions before, Wyatt.  You can’t pretend that we haven’t had our own share of missteps and close calls.”

 

“No, but I sure as hell wouldn’t have left you to get a drink at the damn bar.” Wyatt muttered roughly.

 

Lucy quirked her lip at him, “I know.” She rolled her eyes remembering her own frustration at Bam Bam.   “Believe me, I missed you more than once on this mission.”  His eyes quickly darted to hers as a ghost of a smile flit across his lips.  Lucy reached out and gave his arm a small, reassuring squeeze, “I think he’s has learned his lesson.  I don’t think he’ll be making that mistake again anytime soon…next time he’ll do better.”

 

Wyatt felt a jolt of panic as he remembered what Agent Christopher had said yesterday evening. So, they _were_ thinking of replacing him?  They _must_ have thought that his trip to see Jessica would result in his leaving the team.  Wyatt suddenly bristled, “As if I’d let him get anywhere near you both again.”

 

Lucy gave him a shy smile at that and the bitterness he had just been feeling began to dissipate.  They were talking –granted, it wasn’t quite how it used to be before this whole mess began, but it was something and that was better than nothing.  It gave him a small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe he hadn’t caused irreparable damage to their friendship, at least.  He turned slightly towards the kitchen and offered her a small smirk, “So, breakfast?”

 

“Sure” Lucy whispered as she shrugged her shoulders.  He turned and made his way into the kitchen.  She eyed his back warily, wondering if he had actually seen Jessica and if that had anything to do with this change in his behavior towards her.   He certainly didn’t seem bothered by her presence in the apartment…he even went so far as to get them _both_ breakfast, so yes…something had definitely changed.  His care and concern for her was what it had always been, but she wasn’t about to make the same mistake she had made a few days ago in that exam room.  She would not allow herself to get her hopes up and have her heart trampled on once again.  Lucy wanted to ask him about his trip, but she was selfishly enjoying this little reprieve of…whatever this was and she didn’t want to bring a strain back into their already strained relationship.

 

Wyatt busied himself with the bagels and had just asked her how she would like her coffee when she looked suddenly apologetic. “What?  What’s wrong?” he asked in alarm.

 

Lucy sighed and closed her eyes.  He had been so thoughtful to bring breakfast she hated to mention anything that might sound like ingratitude.  “It-it’s nothing…I just…I…drink tea in the morning” 

 

Wyatt quirked his eyebrow at her, “You do?  Huh…I could’ve sworn you always had coffee.” 

 

Lucy flushed as she slowly stood up, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

 

Wyatt shook his head “No, no it’s okay, Lucy.  It’s fine. I can make you some.”  He looked around his kitchen blankly realizing that he had no idea where anything was. 

 

Lucy smiled to herself, “I’ve got it, Wyatt.”  She slipped into the kitchen beside him, pulled out a mug and grabbed her favorite tea while Wyatt heated the kettle.  He turned towards her, standing closer to her than he had since that day in the exam room.  Lucy kept her eyes down, not daring to look up at him.  He once again, reached out and lightly touched her scar, “Does it hurt?”

 

Lucy shook her head, “Not so much anymore.” She muttered as she placed the tea bag into her cup.  She pointed to his wrapped hand, “How about you? Will you live to fight another day?” He smirked as he appraised his wounded hand.  “What happened there anyway?”

 

Wyatt held out his injured hand, studying the wrapping, while Lucy poured the now hot water into her tea cup.   “Agent Christopher saved Bam Bam from getting an ass kicking.”

 

“But not you?”  Lucy smirked at him as she pointed again to his wrapped knuckles. 

 

Wyatt grinned at her, “This is not an ass kicking.  This is my fist hitting the wall where Dave Baumgardner’s face _should_ have been.”

 

Lucy sipped her tea, “Ouch. And did that make you feel any better? Hitting a wall?”

 

“No, I would have rather kicked his ass.” Wyatt said without pausing for a beat.  She shook her head at him, doubtfully as he maintained, “Next time, I see him…”    

 

“So, in between the wall hitting and the mission de-briefing, did you happen to see Rufus?””

 

“No, I mean, I went to his room but he was out cold.  I talked to Jiya though, she was watching over him.”  He gave her a sideways glance and sighed, “I’m glad you stayed here last night.  I wouldn’t have wanted you to be all alone after everything that you went through.” She managed one quick look at him, before quickly turning her eyes back to her cup of tea.  “Did you sleep okay?” he asked with real concern.    

 

She felt a rush of gratitude as she let his words wash over her.  He was glad she was here?  What a far cry from that first night, when he came home and found her sleeping on the couch. She felt, however, like she needed to explain her presence there.  Here he was fresh off of a trip to get back the love of his life and she had thrown herself into Wyatt’s path…and not just in his path, she had been asleep in his bed. She hadn’t planned to be here and for some reason she needed him to know that.  “I..I just came here to get my Stanford badge and a dress.  I was just so tired and thought I’d take a quick nap.  I didn’t mean to stay the whole night.” She chanced a quick glance up at him. “I’m sorry, if I caught you off guard…I didn’t mean to make you sleep on the couch.”

 

In truth, Wyatt had been sleeping on the couch since he first arrived in this timeline.  He hadn’t even spent more than a few minutes in their bedroom if he could help it.  The thought seemed silly now, but before he had gone to see Jessica, he had seen that room as evidence of a betrayal of her memory, a betrayal of his vows to her.  However, he couldn’t tell Lucy that without sounding like a complete ass.  Sleeping on the couch was nothing if it meant that she was here, safe…with him.  He would’ve gladly slept on the floor just to make sure she wasn’t alone.  He fumbled a bit, “No…there’s no need to apologize, Lucy. I was surprised to see you here…but it was nice…I mean, this is your place and I’m…I’m just glad you came home.”

 

_Home._

 

His use of that word in reference to her and their apartment threatened to bring tears to her eyes. She wasn’t sure how to respond, she wasn’t even sure if she could respond with the emotions battling their way into her throat, but she was saved the chore of having to do so, by the buzzing of their cell phones. 

 

Wyatt quickly grabbed the nearest one, which happened to be Lucy’s.  He was fearful that Garcia Flynn might have jumped again while Rufus was out of commission.  Lucy, too, was concerned about the prospect of Garcia Flynn running rampant throughout history with no one to stop him. One look at Wyatt, however, told her that she was needlessly worried.  His shoulders had relaxed and he was waving her phone at her.  “Rufus is awake.  Jiya says they’ve been watching some movie all morning,” He read through the text, “Rufus says to tell you it was not well done” he glanced at Lucy who rolled her eyes, Wyatt shrugged not knowing what in the world that could mean.  “He wants to know when we’re coming to visit.”

 

Lucy took another sip of her tea.  “We could go right now.”  She pointed to the bagels, “We can even bring some breakfast.”  Wyatt nodded.  Lucy excused herself to get dressed while Wyatt quickly gathered everything up to take along with them to Mason Industries.  As she closed the bedroom door behind her he felt an immense sense of relief.  Last night he had been tossing and turning on that couch, terrified that Lucy would have nothing to do with him.  Now, after just a few awkward minutes, they were talking, almost joking and about to drive to Mason _together_.  He didn’t want to feel overly confident, in fact, right now he was just feeling plain old grateful that Lucy hadn’t run out of the apartment the minute she saw him– but he couldn’t help but think that his efforts - might just might - salvage their friendship…and maybe… just maybe, possibly more.       


	12. Chapter 12

The drive over to Mason Industries was quiet and subdued, both of them too lost in their own thoughts to make any attempt at conversation.  Lucy was wrapped up in the puzzle that was Wyatt.  He had spent all of the last week hell-bent on getting Jessica back, refusing to even acknowledge the fact that Lucy and he were a couple and now he was wearing his wedding ring and referring to his apartment as her home.  She wanted to believe that he had come to grips with his new reality just as _her_  Wyatt had…and that that reality might involve her.  However, he hadn’t said anything about his trip to see Jessica and she was too afraid to ask…too afraid of the answer she might get to that question. For now, she was happy to know that Wyatt wasn’t as opposed to the idea of her in his apartment as he had been and whether or not that spoke of something more in their relationship, time would tell.     

 

Wyatt, meanwhile, was inwardly berating himself.  The morning hadn’t been a total disaster.   He was beyond grateful that Lucy had at least talked with him and seemed to relax a bit as the day wore on, he couldn’t help but remember, however, the horrified expression on her face when she had realized he had been in the apartment with her overnight.  Her subsequent apologies for being someplace where she felt she shouldn’t, filled Wyatt with such guilt he could hardly stand it.  After all, it was _other_ him who had asked her to stay in that apartment in the first place because she no longer felt welcome at home with her mother. She and her fake fiancé had hounded Lucy until she had wound up sleeping at Mason Industries and now once again, she had been driven from the place she had once called home.  He was responsible for that and as such, Wyatt told himself, he was no better than her mother or Noah.    

 

For as much as he had complained about the fickle hand of fate when he arrived in this timeline, it was nothing compared to what Lucy had experienced since she had started all of this time travel mess.  Her sister, her father, Noah…and now, Wyatt – Lucy had been through hell.  Her life had been completely altered immediately following that very first mission.  It was a wonder that she had the courage to keep going.  She had experienced the loss of her family, coupled with two engagements she had no memory of - one to a man she had never met, the other to a man she hardly knew - and yet she had handled all of these changes with far more resilience than anybody could ever be expected to.  What had _Wyatt_ had to deal with in his one new reality?

 

He walked into a new timeline married to his best friend and found out his once dead wife was alive – yup, he was a jackass…and that was putting it mildly. 

 

When they got to Mason, Wyatt jumped out of the car and opened Lucy’s door, much to her surprise and amusement. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have even noticed this simple act of opening her car door if it had been _her_ Wyatt – these were the things he always did for her as her husband…and before, as her fiancé   But since _this_ Wyatt was different and had never so much as gone on a date with her _other_ self, she found that she was analyzing every little gesture, every little look, to ascertain whether he was doing this out of gallantry or out of _something_ _else_.  He hadn’t looked at her, nor did her utter much of a response to her “thank you” and so Lucy chocked it up to something Wyatt just intrinsically did. She tried to think back to before she and her Wyatt had been _anything_ and she could not recall with clarity whether or not he _had_ done those types of things for her.  They had only known each other for a very short period of time before they came back from 1962 and found themselves engaged, so their interactions with each other before that time - before the charade began - were relatively minimal.  All she did know was that once they began to pretend to be a couple, Wyatt was attentive, much like this current Wyatt.  Lucy didn’t want to read too much into his behavior towards her, but the fact that he was no longer avoiding her made her feel that at least _something_ had changed.

 

As they walked side by side into the building, the silence between them started feeling more than a little awkward.  As Wyatt (once again) held open the door for her, Lucy muttered, “I…um wanted to thank you, Wyatt.”

 

He frowned slightly, “For this?” he lifted the bag of bagels,  “This was nothing –“

 

“No,…I mean, yes, of course…thank you for the breakfast…but what I meant to say was thank you for –“ but she wasn’t exactly sure what to thank him for.  For not freaking out that she was in his apartment?  For telling her he was glad that she had come home? For driving eight hours to see if she and Rufus were okay?  She paused as they entered the corridor, her brain trying to come up with the appropriate words.  There were so many things that she had wanted to say, especially after this last week, but her emotions were getting the better of her. Wyatt stilled beside her as she took a deep breath and chanced a quick glance at him.  If she couldn’t fully articulate everything she wanted to say, she would have to generalize,  “-this morning.” 

 

Wyatt nodded slowly and the two of them walked on again together before he let out a small scoff, “Well, Lucy, it was the least I could do.  You’ve been through so much and I…I just wanted to try to make things better.”

 

He wanted to make things better.  Lucy let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.  Whatever his motivations, whatever had happened in San Diego, Wyatt at least, was making an attempt to improve things between them. How much and how far he wanted those improvements to be, she still didn’t know.  He seemed to be as reluctant to approach the topic of that trip as she was.  The fact that he was making an effort, however, gave Lucy enough reason to allow herself to hope that maybe theirs wasn’t a lost cause after all.  

 

Feeling a bit braver, Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him.  “Is it true that you told Bam Bam I was amazing?  I mean” she suddenly flushed as he looked at her in surprise, “he told me on the last mission, that you had said…something like that.”

 

Wyatt smiled to himself, remembering.  He had actually told Bam Bam that Lucy was a genius when the three of them had been standing in this very corridor.  They had been talking about the upcoming mission when _other_ Lucy was sick; she was upset that she wasn’t going to Paris and worried she would be replaced by a Wikipedia printout.  He laughed lightly to himself as he remembered how even when she was sick, she had told him that she had spent all of that time researching to make sure they hadn’t messed up the Treaty of Versailles.   He felt a tug of sadness thinking about _her_ and suddenly, he was homesick for his other timeline; a timeline where his life wasn’t quite so complicated and _their_ relationship wasn’t quite so strained. He cleared his throat, “Well…you _are_ amazing, Lucy.  Not one of us can do what you do.”  He gave her a grin, “I know, I’ve tried.”

  

She gave him a small smile as they turned the corner towards the medical wing, hearing _this_ Wyatt praise her gave her an odd sense of satisfaction.  Maybe it was because she had felt so ostracized by him before, or maybe it was because she had felt like she had something to prove to this Wyatt…whatever it was, she was feeling considerably more at ease with him now than she had been. 

 

As they approached Rufus’ hospital room, they were surprised to find Dave Baumgardner already there.  Wyatt tensed upon seeing him, but his reaction was completely lost on Bam Bam who was sitting in the corner talking excitedly to Rufus and Jiya.  She seemed far less strained than she did the day before.  Wyatt noticed that despite her previous anger at Bam Bam, she was smiling broadly at him and looked visibly more relaxed as he chatted the two of them up.  All three of them, in fact, looked positively giddy.  They were doubled over in fits of laughter when Wyatt and Lucy walked in the door. Rufus stopped mid-chuckle as he watched them approach, his eyes narrowing as Lucy got nearer. 

 

“And there she is.” Rufus sneered.  “Do you know I just sat through almost three hours of hell because of you?”

 

Wyatt stopped short and gaped at Rufus.  Lucy had just saved his damn life and this is the first thing he had to say to her?  Lucy, however, didn’t seem to miss a beat, “Hell? That’s kind of a strong word don’t you think?”

 

“It’s not strong enough!” Rufus nearly jumped out of bed in exasperation, Jiya nearly collapsing in a fit of silent giggles, Bam Bam wiping actual tears from his eyes.  “Benjamin Franklin dancing around a damn fountain like some kid from _The Sound of Music_?  _Here a Lee, there a Lee_ …that shit won a Tony?“ He muttered,  “Historically accurate my ass.”

 

Lucy bristled, “I never said you _had_   to watch it Rufus, that was your own choice.”  He began to protest, but Lucy talked over him.  “I never said it was a beacon of historical accuracy, I said it was about the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  You want to talk historical accuracy?  Do you really think the Founding Fathers rapped their way through the American Revolution?”

 

“Well, at least _my_ boy isn’t going on for three hours singing about opening windows and playing violins and shit.”

 

Wyatt stood in the center of the room, staring at the two of them like they had completely lost their minds. The fact that no one else seemed to be lost in this strange conversation frustrated him beyond reason.  How Lucy, who had been with him all morning, could jump into this exchange without batting an eye was beyond him.

 

“I was merely trying to make a reference to something you might have seen since Bam Bam here doubted my knowledge on American Revolutionary History.”  Lucy glared at Dave Baumgardner.  “You’re the one,” she pointed to Rufus as she narrowed her eyes, “who brought up something completely unrelated to the task at hand.  I mean, we were in the middle of the Boston Massacre, we were –“

 

“Outgunned, Outmanned?” suggested Rufus.

 

“Outnumbered, Outplanned?” added Bam Bam.

 

Lucy couldn’t believe it. They were doing it again.  She stood there staring daggers at the two of them before Wyatt finally burst out, “What the hell are you all talking about?” 

 

“ _Hamilton_!” the whole room exploded, taking Wyatt completely aback.  

 

Rufus cleared his throat, “It’s a last mission thing, Wyatt.  We don’t mean to leave you in the dark, but I told Lucy we would be discussing this later and we are discussing this later, as in right NOW.”  

 

Lucy crossed her arms in front of her, “I stand by every word I said.” She jerked her chin at him “I regret nothing.”

 

Wyatt raised his hand, “Hang on, let me get this straight” he said still clearly confused at the dispute going on before him, “you guys were arguing about _Hamilton_  in the middle of the Boston Massacre?”  When they stared innocently back at him, he threw his head back and muttered, “Oh my God, no wonder you got shot, Rufus.  I would’ve shot you myself.”  

 

“No, you don’t understand, Wyatt.  This isn’t _just_   about the musical, which is brilliant, by the way.”  He glared at Lucy who rolled her eyes.   “This is about defending the name of the ten- dollar founding father without a father.” Rufus exclaimed passionately. 

 

Bam Bam cheered from the corner, “Hear, hear”.  Jiya was biting her thumb nail with a huge grin on her face.

 

Lucy was about to make her counter argument, when Wyatt piped up. “You mean the guy who got shot by Aaron Burr because he was talking shit about him?”

 

Rufus’ mouth hung open, but Wyatt plowed on as he looked to Lucy for confirmation, “Didn’t he cause some sort of rebellion in Washington’s first term over a tax…which, correct me if I’m wrong, was pretty much what we fought the Revolution for in the first place?”

 

Lucy did her best to suppress her absolute joy that Wyatt – _Wyatt-_ was schooling Rufus on the finer points of American History.  She tried not to look neither too surprised nor too pretentious when she nodded her head in the affirmative.  “Yup, he basically started the Whiskey Rebellion because he put a tax on alcoholic beverages. Since that’s mostly what was consumed in that century, it affected everyone…quite a bit.”

 

Wyatt quirked his lip at Rufus, “Sorry man, anyone who taxes whiskey is an asshole in my book.”  Lucy gave Wyatt a triumphant grin and he suddenly was feeling like this discussion wasn’t a complete waste of time after all. They stood side by side smirking down at Rufus who was seething in frustration. 

 

 “Sure, whatever.  Take her side. I’m the one laying here with a souvenir from the worst block party in history.”  

 

“Yeah, and Lucy’s the one who dragged your ass out of the street.” Wyatt muttered as he grabbed a bagel for himself.  “Anyway, I thought the Boston Massacre was self-defense?”  He pointed to Rufus’ wounded leg, ““I told you not to piss anybody off.”

 

“Yeah, well I _was_ feeling sorry for those soldiers, but after this?  I’m glad we kicked their asses back across the Atlantic.” Wyatt threw the bag of bagels at him with a smirk.   Rufus looked at  Lucy, “Since I didn’t get to say it before, thanks for making sure I didn’t die in 1770,” he stole a glance at Wyatt who was staring him down, “…and for dragging my ass out of the street.”  He took a bite out of a bagel, “But I still say _1776_ is trash.”

 

Lucy smiled at him, “Fair enough.  But will you at least agree that Alexander Hamilton isn’t all the musical cracks him up to be?”

 

Rufus shook his head fervently, “Nope.  Never.”

 

Lucy threw her head back in exasperation.   

 

Bam Bam was eyeing Wyatt thoughtfully.  He had known him for years and in that time, he had never known Wyatt to have even the slightest interest in history that wasn’t directly related to the military. “Wait a minute, how do _you_ know so much about Alexander Hamilton?” he asked.

 

Wyatt shrugged not looking at him, “I read the book.” 

 

“Yeah, right you _read the book_ , you’ve got Professor Cliff Notes” Rufus accused, pointing at Lucy, “feeding you historical drivel every day.”

 

Lucy gasped in indignation, “I beg your pardon?  Wyatt hears the same amount of historical drivel from me as you do.”  Lucy nudged Wyatt’s arm.  “He just pays more attention.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement, “Yeah he does.”

 

This comment drew Bam Bam’s notice…not so much from what was said, but how Wyatt reacted to it.  He absolutely flushed at the implication that he paid more attention to Lucy than Rufus did.  If Bam Bam hadn’t known any better, he’d say that Wyatt was harboring a crush on the pretty historian. 

 

Too bad she was engaged, right?

 

But as Bam Bam considered that, he glanced down at Lucy’s left hand and noticed that she wasn’t wearing a ring.  He looked back at Wyatt with a new interest.  Maybe there was something more going on here than they were letting on. 

 

Wyatt hadn’t any idea that he was becoming a source of scrutiny for Dave Baumgardner.  He was standing with his arms crossed balking at his team mate. “I _did_ read the book, Rufus.” Wyatt huffed, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about…turns out, not much.”

  

Rufus tossed the bag of bagels towards Jiya and Bam Bam while Lucy, eased her way towards his bedside. “So, I’m guessing you’re feeling better?”

 

“Yeah, I should be able to go home tomorrow.”  Rufus muttered.  “I’ll have to walk around on crutches for a few days, but that’s better than having some 18thcentury butcher come after me with a hacksaw.”

 

“Well,” said Bam Bam with a nod, “I just have to say, this mission was definitely a lot more enjoyable with Lucy along for the ride.”  He gave her a wink.  Lucy looked back at him, unimpressed.  “You and Wyatt are certainly very lucky to have her on your team, watching your sixes.” He smirked, once again looking at Wyatt for some kind of reaction, but that reaction didn’t come.  Wyatt had merely frowned and nodded his head in agreement, not looking at either Lucy or Bam Bam.  So, Dave Baumgardner continued with a devilish grin, “I wouldn’t say no to her watching mine.”

 

If Bam Bam was hoping to elicit a response from Wyatt with that last remark, he wasn’t disappointed.  If looks could kill, Bam Bam would be dead.  He shrugged at Wyatt who gave him one last glare before turning his attention onto Lucy who hadn’t missed the double meaning either.    

 

Lucy flushed, “Oh, well…I don’t usually do much-“

 

“The hell you don’t, Lucy.” said Wyatt, He hated that she always sold herself short, and even if it was an attempt to brush off Bam Bam’s ridiculous attempt at flirtation, Wyatt wasn’t about to let her think she didn’t matter. “I’ve been on missions without you.  It’s not the same.  Half the time we don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing.”

 

Bam Bam nodded, “I can attest to that.  Do you know that she knew what that Flynn guy was planning just by the number of soldiers at the Massacre?  Damn impressive.” Lucy gave him a bashful smile and a shrug.  Wyatt looked at her, brimming with pride as Dave Baumgardner continued. “I’m just glad Wyatt, here, decided to take off so I could finally have the chance to see for myself what all the fuss was about.”  He turned to Wyatt, “Where’d you go, anyway?”

 

Lucy almost stopped breathing.  It was the one topic she had tried so hard to avoid, but she knew it was bound to come up sometime.  She had just hoped that it wouldn’t be here in front of Rufus and Jiya…and Bam Bam. Not trusting herself to be able to look at Wyatt without becoming emotional at his answer…whatever it may be, she swallowed hard and began toying with the sheet on Rufus’ hospital bed. 

 

Wyatt’s eyes flicked from Lucy to Bam Bam.  As far as Bam Bam knew, nothing had changed in this timeline.  According to him, Lucy was Wyatt’s engaged co-worker and friend and Wyatt was a widower.  To suddenly reveal to Bam Bam that he had taken off to go visit his now undead wife leaving Lucy who was now no longer engaged to Noah, but married to him, behind? There was no way in hell he was going to be having that conversation.  Bam Bam didn’t understand these things – he was a stand-in, after all.  If he wasn’t affected by the new timeline then why burden him with the knowledge that things had changed?  

 

Wyatt shrugged, “I took a trip to San Diego.”

 

“Oh, did you go to Pendleton?  See the guys?”

 

Wyatt just shook his head, “No, just a trip I needed to take.”  Lucy swallowed hard again, wringing her hands lightly to try to hide the fact that she was shaking. 

 

Rufus looked at his friend with real concern, “How’d it go, man?”

 

Wyatt frowned, “Good.  Really good. Definitely worth the trip.  Didn’t stay as long as I planned, but I think it all worked out.”        

 

Lucy’s heart was pounding in her chest.  He hadn’t said anything revealing, but that was just the trouble.  Was the trip good because he had seen Jessica and they were working things out?  Or was this trip good because it gave him the closure it had given _her_ Wyatt? She desperately wanted to know, but this was not the time nor the place for that conversation.  She really didn’t know where the time and place for that conversation was, but she knew it could not be here.

 

Not with everybody watching them.

 

Mustering as much courage as she could under the circumstances, she chanced a quick glance at Wyatt and was completely taken aback by what she saw.  His eyes were fixed on her with a softness that absolutely took her breath away.  In that moment, as they looked at each other, she felt that he had answered those questions and so much more without saying a single word.  For the first time since this new Wyatt had walked into her life, she had felt like she truly had _him_ back – _her_ Wyatt.  She had just managed to give him a smile when Agent Christopher entered the room.  “Well, I see we’re all assembled.”  Lucy dropped her gaze from Wyatt and shifted it to the Homeland Security agent who was now approaching the hospital bed where she and Rufus sat.  “I hope you two are feeling better” she said looking down at them. 

 

They both nodded at her in the affirmative.  She gave them both a motherly grin and turned her attention to Lucy.   “They are wanting to run just a few more tests on you to make sure everything is absolutely fine.”  Agent Christopher put a comforting hand on Lucy’s arm.   “Better to be safe than sorry, after all.” 

 

Wyatt looked from Agent Christopher to Lucy with concern, “Is there something wrong?  I thought she just had a mild concussion and a few bruises?”

 

Lucy flushed uncomfortably, “It’s fine.  I’m sure they just want to check for an infection.  She pointed to her stitches, “18thcentury dirt and all.” 

 

Wyatt gently grabbed Lucy’s elbow as she passed him, “Do you want me to go with you?”

 

“Don’t be silly, Wyatt. It’s just a couple of tests.  I’ll be fine.”  She gave a nervous chuckle, and excused herself from the room, leaving Bam Bam all the more convinced that his good old buddy, Wyatt had it bad for Lucy Preston.  No wonder he had wanted to beat the shit out of him.  It all made sense now. 

 

Agent Christopher looked down at Rufus.  “Since you were not in any condition yesterday, we had to postpone your de-brief.  We can do it whenever you’re ready.”

 

“How about now? Asked Rufus.

 

She nodded in agreement looking around at the others expectantly.

 

Bam Bam got up from his chair slowly, “Well, Rufus my man, I’m sorry again about yesterday.  Drinks on me, when you get outta here, okay? It’s the least I could do.” 

 

Rufus and Jiya smiled as he walked over towards Wyatt who was standing in the corridor, anxiously watching Lucy make her way down the hall.  Bam Bam smiled to himself as he joined his friend.  “Hey, I hope we don’t have any hard feelings from yesterday.” He reached out his hand to shake it. 

 

Wyatt took Bam Bam’s hand with a disgruntled grimace, “I’m sorry for the slamming you into that wall.” He smirked at him sardonically, “They’re my team and it’s my job to protect them...from assholes.”   

 

Bam Bam frowned slightly, “I’m sorry I was an asshole.”  He followed Wyatt’s gaze to Lucy’s retreating figure.  “I know how much they mean to you” he gave him a knowing wink and turned his frown into a devilish grin as he began making his way back down the corridor. “By the way, it’s already set – drinks for the whole team, you included, on me!”

 

Wyatt turned to find Jiya standing against the door to Rufus’ room giving him a sad smile, “So, you got my text?”

 

Wyatt nodded, “Yeah, thanks for that. But, I think Lucy might be mad at you for telling me.  She looked plenty pissed when I mentioned your name.”  Jiya frowned slightly.   “Of course, Agent Christopher also sent me a text, so I would’ve come back either way.”

 

Jiya smiled at him, “I knew you would.”  He looked up at her sharply, “That’s not why I sent it, if that’s what you’re thinking, but I knew you’d be pissed if you came back and no one had told you what had happened.” 

 

He nodded towards the direction Dave Baumgardner had just left, “I thought you were going to kick Bam Bam’s ass?  Or are you waiting for me to do it?”  Wyatt asked with chuckle. 

 

Jiya shrugged, “He’s a charmer.  He came in this morning all toothy grins and apologetic…and well, I just couldn’t stay mad at him.”  Wyatt rolled his eyes at her.  “Oh, come on, I didn’t see you throwing any punches.”

 

He held up his bandaged hand, “Tried.”  Wyatt gave a forced smile and looked back down the hall where Lucy had disappeared. Jiya watched him with sad eyes, “Hey, I know you’re worried about her, but she’s in good hands.  They check her like this all the time.  It’s nothing new.”

 

Wyatt’s eyes widened in panic, “All the time?  What do you mean they check her all the time?  I thought this was just about the cut on her head?”

 

Jiya closed her eyes and grimaced, “Oh…Wyatt, I’m sorry.  I should not have said anything.” She tried to sneak past him down the corridor, but he stopped her. 

 

“Jiya, what the hell is going on with Lucy?” He placed both of his hands on her shoulders and stooped down to look her in the eye…but Jiya was looking at everything but him.   “Is there something wrong with her?  Something she’s not telling me?”

 

Jiya was saved the task of answering those awkward questions by Lucy, herself, who came bouncing down the hall brandishing a brown paper bag.  Wyatt rounded on her, “Are you okay?  What’s wrong?”

 

Lucy eyes darted from Wyatt to Jiya, who was standing just behind him giving Lucy an apologetic shrug. Lucy gave her a quick glare before smiling forcefully at Wyatt, “Nothing is wrong.  I’m a little anemic and they’ve given me iron supplements. That’s it.”

 

Wyatt looked at her doubtfully, “Jiya said they check you all the time.”

 

Lucy pursed her lips in frustration, “She did, huh?” she shot another glare to Jiya who was now quickly retreating down the hall towards the launch bay.  Lucy breathed out, “Well, she was exaggerating a bit.  I tend to get anemic from time to time. The doctors here just check me out every once in a while, to make sure I stay healthy.”

 

Wyatt appraised her, “You’re sure that’s it?”

 

Lucy nodded.  “That’s it.” 

 

She was going to have to kill Jiya. 

 

But first, she was going to have to face her mother.  Lucy, pulled up her wrist to show her watch to Wyatt.  “I hate for us to have to cut and run, but I have a meeting in two hours at Stanford and I need to mentally prepare myself for my mother’s comments about…this.”  Lucy pointed to her forehead.  Wyatt gave her a sympathetic frown and led her back down the corridor.

 

They were making their way back out to the car when Lucy gave Wyatt a sidelong glance, “So, I noticed you spared Bam Bam an ass kicking.  For the second time, I might add.”

 

Wyatt grinned, “Yeah, well he offered to buy us all drinks so…”

 

Lucy laughed and nudged him with her shoulder and Wyatt felt like he could fly.  He couldn’t believe it.  After the awkwardness of the morning, here they were talking, joking and laughing just like they used to – before he had messed everything up – back when they were friends, team mates.  Except now, Lucy wasn’t just his co-worker and his friend, she was his _wife_ and as he opened the car door for her, he was absolutely riveted by the idea that he, Wyatt Logan, might…just might be the luckiest man alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I had to get Wyatt involved in that Hamilton discussion. I REALLY debated having him go to Boston and using Bam Bam another time, because I had always wanted Wyatt in that argument, but I finally decided that they could start their discussion there and bring it back to the present. 
> 
> Don't get too comfortable with the fluff.....this is an angsty story. : )


	13. Ch 13

Wyatt’s heart felt considerably lighter driving back to the apartment from Mason, than it had driving to Mason Industries that morning.  He was amazed at how far they had come in such a short time.  This morning, Lucy had looked like she would have run out of the apartment clad in pajamas at the sight of him, but now they were laughing, talking and if he were being just a tad bit confident, they were enjoying one another’s company.  He had no idea how or why this had happened…he didn’t feel like he had done anything to warrant this development in their relationship, but he was going to do everything in his power not to screw this up.

 

He looked at Lucy with a soft smile, but she, he discovered with alarm, wasn’t smiling.  She didn’t even look remotely happy.  Her brow was furrowed and she was typing furiously on her phone. “What’s wrong?” he asked with concern.

 

“Ugh.  It’s my mother.”  Lucy sighed.  “She’s been texting me non-stop for the past 10 minutes. She’s just making sure I don’t forget ANY thing for this planning committee meeting today.”

 

Wyatt frowned, “What’s it for?”

 

“Oh, it’s just a symposium they have every year for the History Department.  Usually we host guest speakers, authors, people who have contributed in some way to the historical community.” She explained.  The symposium isn’t for another week, but this year, my mother is announcing a new book and so she wants to make sure everything is absolutely perfect.”  Lucy huffed as she read yet another text message that flashed on her screen, “Oh, no. I have to give a speech.”  She was about to respond to that message, when a buzz on her phone indicated that another one had just been delivered. Lucy rolled her eyes, “Yes, mom…I have the book signing dates” she muttered as she typed a reply.

 

It struck Wyatt that he had never really seen this side of Lucy before…not the Stanford University professor side anyway.  Of course, he had always known Lucy was a professor, hell, he even called her that from time to time.  But somewhere along the way, he had forgotten that she actually was a Stanford Professor, that she still had a life outside of the missions in the world of academia. She was well-known, respected, a published author, and he knew from his own experience, that she was a damn fine historian.  He had never really considered though, how she might actually be in that other life. Wyatt had always imagined Ph.D’s to be stuffy and a bit full of themselves.  If truth be told, when he had first met Lucy, he had thought that she was completely out of her element; that whatever reason they had for assigning an historian for these missions, the high-strung and tightly wound woman worrying about historically accurate bras, was ill-suited to the task at hand. 

 

 

But then he had gotten to know her. Despite her roots in the white-collar world of academia, far removed from the hard-pressed realities of a blue-collar existence, the hell of battlefields and the throes of danger, Lucy was amazingly down to Earth and more than willing to risk her own life for her team, as good as any soldier he had ever served with.  She was still a professor, still a well-known historian and anthropologist, but now, she fought for her life in the French and Indian War, risked everything for him at the Alamo, she dodged a barrage of bullets with Bonnie and Clyde, and had even shot Jesse James in the back.  She was, to put it simply, Lucy.  Amazingly humble and kind despite the fact that her brilliance and renown could have her lording over missions like some haughty, spoiled and bossy know it all.

 

Well,…she might still be a bossy know it all, but Wyatt didn’t mind so much. 

 

To hear her suddenly, now, talking of a world in which he played no part made him see her in an entirely new light.  He had never considered the differences between them to matter much.  They were team mates, after all.  Outside of the mission, however, Lucy was the well-educated, well brought up only child (apart from Amy) of an even more celebrated mother who desperately wanted her daughter to follow in her footsteps.  Wyatt was the product of an alcoholic and abusive father, a dirt poor upbringing and had managed to scrape by in a few college courses in between trainings and deployments.  Where Lucy’s mother was a world class historian, researcher and author, Wyatt’s dad was a world class sonofabitch.  To say he was suddenly feeling a tad self-conscious was an understatement. He had never considered the differences between them as a bad thing, but now he wondered how in the hell he fit in with her world outside of Mason.

 

He began thinking of Noah and how he seemed to embody everything that Wyatt imagined someone like Lucy would be looking for in a boyfriend, fiancé, or husband.  Rich, successful, well-educated, probably from a good family…everything Wyatt was not.  Sure, he was on Delta Force, but somehow that didn’t seem like it quite measured up to “Doctor” in the eyes of someone like Lucy’s mother.  No wonder she was unhappy that Lucy had broken off her engagement with the fake fiancé.  He could hardly blame her. 

 

“Um…Wyatt.  It’s green.” Wyatt jumped slightly as Lucy muttered from his right, her voice calling him from his dark thoughts.  She looked at him with concern as he proceeded through the intersection, “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah…sorry.  I was…just thinking.”   

 

Lucy pursed her lips and tried to quell the mounting anxiety in her chest.  She hated that things were still so tense between them.  Granted, they were talking now and a little more at ease with one another than they had been, but the fact remained that they still hadn’t broached the subject of Jessica.  She now only knew that his trip had gone well and that it was “worth the trip”…whatever that meant.   

 

“So,” Wyatt cleared his throat,  “do you ever hear from Noah, anymore since….you know…?”

 

Lucy looked up at him in surprise, “Noah? Why are you asking me about Noah?”

 

Wyatt shifted in his seat uncomfortably, “Nothing, it’s just…I don’t know, you were engaged to him for a while and you had said he had been hounding you…”

 

Lucy considered Wyatt for a moment.  He looked uneasy and she wasn’t sure why.  Out of every possible thing they could be discussing right now, Noah was the last thing she ever imagined him bringing up.  “No.  He doesn’t bother anymore, not as much as he used to anyway.”  She looked up and gave him a wry smile, “thanks to you.”  

 

Wyatt nodded in understanding.  “Because we got married.”

 

Lucy laughed.  “Not really, no.”  Wyatt glanced at her momentarily, puzzled.  “He…um, crashed our wedding party…and when I say crashed, I mean my mother invited him.”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes. So Carol Preston invited Lucy’s former fiancé to their wedding…no doubt to object to the whole damn thing.  “What, did I make a scene and throw him out or something?”    

 

Lucy sighed, “No, you were actually more of a gentleman than he was.” She gave him smile, “You warned him. I warned him…and well, he didn’t listen.”

 

“And so, what?  We got into a fight?”

 

“Not exactly.  He was making a little bit of a scene” she flushed. “He made some not so nice comments about you…”

 

“Why does that not surprise me?” Wyatt asked with a huff, interrupting her.  He could picture it now, Noah standing in the middle of their wedding party telling the whole room why Wyatt was wrong for Lucy, Carol Preston looking on with pride wishing that he was the one Lucy had decided to marry. “Asshole” Wyatt muttered under his breath. 

 

 She gave him a wry smile. “You never liked Noah.”

 

Wyatt gave a guilty smirk, “I wouldn’t say I _never_ liked him…” he glanced over to Lucy who was giving him a dubious stare, “Okay, I thought the guy was a creep from the get go. You didn’t even know his last name.” 

 

Lucy nodded, “That’s true. I didn’t…but I wouldn’t say he was a total creep.”  She shrugged her shoulders, “He seemed nice enough, just a victim of time travel…like the rest of us.” she sighed and frowned slightly at Wyatt.  “I can understand him being upset about my breaking off the engagement, but he didn’t have to go after you, it wasn’t your fault.”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “C’mon Lucy. We pretended we were engaged so that the guy wouldn’t hound you anymore.  If we hadn’t done that, you’d still be engaged to him.”

 

At that moment, it felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the car.  The tension was so thick it could’ve been cut with a knife.  Lucy’s mouth had dropped open in shock and she quickly turned her head away as Wyatt, realizing what he had said, gave her a guilty sideways glance.  To say he immediately regretted his phrasing was an understatement.  _This_ Lucy was not his Lucy.  This Lucy had only been engaged to Dr. Noah for a day before she came back from Vegas engaged to Wyatt…and yes, they had pretended so as to keep Noah at bay, but somewhere along the line, it was no longer a charade.  _Other_ Wyatt had fallen for Lucy and she had fallen for him.  There had been no denying of feelings and attempts to brush off that kiss in front of Bonnie and Clyde, because there was no reason to. Engaged, as they were, to each other – Wyatt was sure it was nothing for them to just admit that there was something more to their relationship than just friendship after that kiss.  For him and _his_ Lucy, things were different.  Jessica’s death still haunted him in his timeline and Lucy…well, he tried to explain, “That’s not what I…I mean…you _are_ still engaged to him.”

 

Lucy turned and stared at him. 

 

 _Shit._  He had just made it worse. 

 

“I mean, _other_ you… _other you_  is still engaged to him.”

 

Lucy said nothing in reply, she merely furrowed her brow in thought and looked back out of the window. 

 

_Dammit._

 

Once they were back at the apartment, Lucy threw her phone down on the kitchen counter and raced towards the bathroom to get ready.  Wyatt raked his hands through his hair, inwardly berating himself for making things tense between them once more.  Why the hell did he have to go and talk to her about her fake fiancé?  Things were going so well.  Even in this timeline, that jackass and his smarmy attitude was making Wyatt feel self-conscious.  And why? Lucy wasn’t married to Noah…she had chosen Wyatt. 

 

That thought suddenly washed over him like a wave of relief.  Whatever insecurities he may have about himself and his background, meant nothing if Lucy hadn’t minded enough to still marry him.  Hell, she went against her own mother to be his wife.  Whatever Noah or anybody else had said, he _was_ good enough for Lucy.  He had to be, or Lucy, faced with the option of someone like Noah, wouldn’t have married him and hers was the only opinion that mattered.

 

Struck by that thought, he now marveled at how at home she seemed to be as she flitted between the bathroom and the bedroom with her things.  He set down his own phone next to hers on the kitchen counter as he took in the scene.   His quiet and lonely apartment seemed to transform before his very eyes.  Lucy’s presence seemed to breathe a life in it that he didn’t even realize was missing.  Simple things like seeing her bag draped on the chair, hearing her step in the hall, and smelling her perfume in the air made this once strange place seem oddly familiar.  The whole apartment, he realized now, was far more cheerful than the one he had left behind. Everything from the photos on the wall to the furniture in the rooms gave his apartment a feeling of home that had never existed in the time that he lived there in the previous timeline.

 

He had barely secured the place after he had been called on that first mission when it was clear that this was not going to be a quick assignment.  As such, his furnishings had been a sad hodgepodge of freecycle and Ikea. The wall, that in his timeline held newspaper clippings of Jessica’s murder, was now lined with floating shelves displaying books and photos.  Of course, there would be no newspaper clippings, Jessica was alive, and that thought, in and of itself, made his whole world seem a bit brighter.  He no longer had to punish himself over her death because she had never been killed; the guilt he had carried for five years was suddenly gone.       

 

He looked at his apartment like he was seeing it for the first time.  No longer did he view every room, every photo, every memento as a betrayal of Jessica.  Now he was seeing it as a new life, a new opportunity – the second chance he wanted but hadn’t realized he had.  Lucy had saved his life…in his timeline and in this one.  Jessica may not have died, but his marriage to her had been marred with unhappiness.  He couldn’t deny that now – there was no reason, no excuse, to idealize their marriage anymore.  As Wyatt looked at the photos lining the walls of him and Lucy he saw more than just happiness, he saw love.  He saw respect.  He saw a woman who had time and time again saved his life and made him feel like the luckiest man on Earth.  And now, after realizing that Lucy Preston had chosen him over the man whom Wyatt had secretly hated for almost a year, he knew he wasthe luckiest man on Earth.

 

It was now almost noon and since they had shared their bagels with Rufus, Jiya and Bam Bam, their breakfast had been meager, to say the least.  Wyatt began making them both sandwiches, figuring that if Lucy didn’t have time to have hers before she left, she could take it along with her. As he stood there in the kitchen, prepping their meal, he noted with irritation that Lucy’s phone was buzzing every few minutes.  Texts from her mother, no doubt, and Wyatt now began to understand why _other_ him had been so adamant about having Lucy stay with him in the first place. If this is how controlling she was over a meeting, he couldn’t imagine what kind of influence she sought to control over Lucy’s personal life.  He suddenly began to feel that perhaps his Lucy was still engaged to Noah, in part, because she hadn’t wanted to upset her mother and deal with the backlash of making her own decisions.    

 

After her shower, Lucy rushed into the bedroom and got dressed as quickly as she could.  She found her Stanford ID Badge and was just turning to run back into the living room, when she remembered her wedding rings. She hadn’t worn them since that first night, but now…things were different.  Weren’t they?  She picked them up and held them in her hand, biting her lip in thought.  The last thing she wanted to do was put them on and have Wyatt feel like she was expecting something from him.  His conversation about Noah in the car had left her feeling a little doubtful.  He had tried to explain that he was talking about the other Lucy, but the implication that she would still be engaged to Noah if they hadn’t pretended to be engaged stung her.  He was talking as if the feelings between them wouldn’t have happened at all if it had not been for the special circumstances in which she and her Wyatt had found themselves. 

Still, they _had_ made good progress today – they were talking and she was here at the apartment…with him.  She didn’t want to ruin it by assuming that their status as “man and wife” was now something he had come to accept.  However, she was about to be stuck in an endless meeting with her mother and if she wasn’t wearing her rings, that would draw all kinds of unwelcome questions and comments…as well as hopeful hints about a reconciliation with Noah. Considering that she was already going to have to answer for the stitches lining her forehead, Lucy didn’t want to give her mother any more reason to tell her that she was “throwing her life away.”  With a sigh, Lucy slid the rings on her finger figuring that if Wyatt could wear his wedding ring without giving Lucy an explanation, then she could do the same. 

 

Lucy rushed out of the bedroom minutes later, throwing on her heels, nearly tripping over her own feet as she stumbled down the hall.  She was in and out of the spare room which was now, as Wyatt rightly assumed, serving as an office.  She grabbed her laptop and a few files, rummaging around here and there, searching book cases throughout the apartment, looking for one that had the “perfect quote” for her speech.  Wyatt had to smile as she wandered around the apartment grabbing all the things that she needed.  He could not get over the domesticity of it all; her being there with him, much more at home in his apartment than he was, while he made her a sandwich. 

 

Lucy kept nervously checking herself in the hall mirror every time she walked by.  “You okay?” Wyatt asked her with a smirk as he watched her brush her hair in front of her stitches for the fifteenth time since she emerged from the bedroom.

 

Lucy sighed, “There’s no way I’m going to be able to hide this from her.” 

 

Wyatt shrugged, “So don’t. Tell her you got in a car accident or something.”

 

“Right” said Lucy cynically. “She won’t see through that at all.” she joined him in the kitchen picking up the other half of the sandwich he made for himself as he was still in the process of making hers.  “Sorry, I’m starving and this meeting is probably going to go on for hours.”

 

“It’s okay, I’m making another one.” He gestured to her phone. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s been lighting up like the Fourth of July.”

 

“Ugh.  She’s relentless.” Lucy breathed out in frustration, pulling a water bottle out of the cabinet.  “It’s like she thinks I’ve never done this before.” 

 

Wyatt offered her a sympathetic shrug.  He had known from almost the first moment he met Lucy that she had lived in the shadow of her mother’s reputation.  In fact, when Agent Christopher had praised Lucy as being “world-class”, Lucy had deflected the praise to herself onto her mother and claimed that she, Lucy, was “just a teacher.”  That had always bothered Wyatt.  It bothered him more once he began to get to know her.  Lucy _was_ world-class.  She was brilliant, she was kind and she helped them blend into every possible historical setting they had found themselves in.  Apart from knowing everything about the historical icons they chanced to meet on their missions, Lucy understood the importance of the history they were trying to save in ways that he had never once considered.  To see her now, so beaten down by her mother’s lack of faith in her made Wyatt feel all the more confident that other him had made the right choice by removing her from that situation.  Lucy lived in awe of her mother, had always been compared, had always been expected to shine and follow in her footsteps. Disappointing her was not an option, and as her mother wanted her to marry the doctor, Lucy – he was almost sure now, had stayed in the engagement in part, to avoid a conflict with her. 

 

Lucy began forcefully throwing ice cubes into her water flask, while Wyatt cleared up the sandwich stuff, noting as he did so, that they were more or less talking like they had been before this new timeline.  There was no awkwardness, no strain in their conversation and even in their interaction.  Lucy had taken his sandwich for heaven’s sake – if that didn’t scream ease and friendship, he didn’t know what did.  He was just closing up the jar of pickles when he chanced a glance in her direction. She was filling her water bottle, muttering to herself, when Wyatt glanced down and saw with amazement that she was wearing her wedding rings.  The sight shocked him so much that the open pickle jar slipped from his hand, spilled on all over his clothes and tumbled to the floor, shattering on impact.    

 

Lucy jumped back in alarm.  Wyatt stood there sheepishly in the middle of the mess, not sure what to say except “Oops.”

 

Lucy quirked an eyebrow at him, “Reflexes aren’t what they used to be?”

 

“Guess not.” Wyatt chuckled as he began to pick up pieces of glass and ruined pickles from off of the floor.  

 

Lucy stopped him laughing as she began to wet a rag, “Wyatt, you’re a mess.  Go change – I can get this.” 

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah, it’s fine.” she smiled as she began picking up ruined pickles and shards of glass.      

 

Wyatt reluctantly left Lucy behind to clean up his mess in the kitchen, his mind abuzz with the thought that Lucy, for the first time since he arrived in this timeline, was wearing her wedding rings.  He hoped against all hope that this was a sign that things between them were on the mend. She _was_ going to be with her mother and Wyatt knew that even before, when their engagement was a charade, that they had kept up that act to keep Noah and her mother from pestering Lucy. So, her wearing of the rings didn’t necessarily mean that things were at that same level of trust that they had been before, it could be just part of a ruse to keep her mother from asking too many questions.  Still, Wyatt couldn’t help but feel that things between them were definitely better and this seemingly small gesture appeared to establish that as fact.  He closed the bedroom door behind him, his heart buoyed by the hope the sight of those rings on her finger had given him.      

 

Lucy had just finished sweeping up the last of the mess in the kitchen when another text notification sent her cursing.  She grabbed the phone and was about to send a heated message to her mother when her heart caught in her throat.  It wasn’t her phone that had buzzed that time, it had been Wyatt’s and the message now appearing on the screen made her feel like she had missed a stair and was now tumbling down into an abyss.

 

_U-haul is packed and ready for SF!  See u tomorrow!  - Jess_

 

Lucy knew she shouldn’t be looking at Wyatt’s texts, it had been an innocent mistake.  However, she couldn’t bring herself to look away from his phone and the message that had delivered such a devastating blow. Jessica was moving to San Francisco and she was going to see Wyatt.

 

That didn’t necessarily mean anything, Lucy tried to tell herself.  There could be a logical explanation as to why Jessica had suddenly decided to move to San Francisco just a day after Wyatt had gone down to see her with the sole purpose of winning her back. People moved to San Francisco all the time.  This was just oddly coincidental.  She was trying very hard to stem her mounting panic when a new message flashed onto the screen.     

 

_Don’t forget about dinner – let’s go someplace nice : )_

 

Wyatt had said the trip had been “definitely worth it”, he had seemed so much more relaxed and at peace…and this was probably why.  It was all making sense.  He had won her back.

Lucy swallowed hard as tears began to form in her eyes.  Her hands shook almost violently as she dropped the phone back down on the counter.  She felt as though a rug had been ripped out from under her.  Why why why did she allow herself to hope?  She knew how determined he was to get Jessica back.  She heard him say repeatedly how he couldn’t be married to her because he was in love with Jessica.  And yet, like a fool she had allowed herself to believe that this Wyatt cared for her in the same way her Wyatt had.   Why?  Because of a ring and a look.

 

She was pathetic. 

 

With a gasp, she recalled their conversation in the car.  Noah.  He had brought up Noah.  Randomly, she thought at the time.  Now, however, she began to realize that Wyatt was giving her a hint.  If other Lucy was still engaged to Noah, then perhaps, she would still have a chance with him.  What Wyatt didn’t seem to understand was that she had never wanted a chance with Noah…at least not this version of her anyway.  She didn’t love him…she loved Wyatt and now she had lost him. 

 

The bedroom door opened and Lucy felt a jolt of panic at the idea of facing him.  She quickly tried to wipe away the tears and steady her hands, but she found the task to be almost impossible.  Keeping her head bowed, she swiftly made her way past him into the bedroom. She had a dinner with the Dean tomorrow night and there was no way she was going to be coming back here.  Not after _that_ message…though she supposed, Wyatt would be with Jessica and so it wouldn’t matter if she were here or not. She grabbed her black cocktail dress from the back of the closet and a pair of shoes and made her way back down the hall and towards the door.  She was gathering all of her things, not daring to even glance in Wyatt’s direction as she made her way to the door, when he gave a loud cough and announced, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

 

She turned to face him with a grimace, only to see that he was waving her phone at her.  He took one look at Lucy’s red rimmed eyes and immediately rushed to her side, his voice heavy with concern “Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing.” Lucy lied, though her voice, thick with emotion made Wyatt see right through it.  She took her phone from him and made her way back to the door, her dress, shoes and messenger bag in hand.

 

“Lucy, look I’m sorry if I said something –“

 

“No, Wyatt.  Don’t apologize.  I shouldn’t have –“  She pursed her lips in an attempt to fight back the barrage of tears that were threatening to spill out at any moment.  “Thank you, for letting me stay here last night.” 

 

Noticing that she had what appeared to be a change of clothes, Wyatt thought that perhaps, despite his best efforts to make her feel at ease, she still felt uncomfortable about being here overnight with him.  “Well, Lucy…you’re always welcome here.”  He pointed to her dress, “Are you….I mean, you aren’t going to come back tonight?”

 

“No” she sighed. “I’ll probably just stay with my mother…I have a dinner with her tomorrow night anyway, so – “

 

Wyatt frowned at her. After all the frustration that she had felt towards her mother, the constant nagging over one meeting and now she was going to stay with her?  “Lucy, you don’t have to…I mean, you can stay here.  I really don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”

 

Lucy let out a shaky sigh as tears began to fall, “I don’t think that’s good idea, Wyatt.  The situation is awkward enough as it is.”

 

_Shit._

 

She was probably upset about that damn conversation in the car…or maybe had pushed too hard, trying to get back what he had lost and it had upset her.  He wasn’t _her_ Wyatt, after all, and dammit he needed to remember that.  Being back in this apartment with him had probably put her in mind of the Wyatt she had lost and well, he was sure that couldn’t be easy for her.  “It doesn’t have to be awkward, Lucy.  You’re still you.  I’m still me. We’re” he swallowed hard as he looked at her, feeling like she was slipping away from him all over again.  “We’re friends, right?”

 

Lucy closed her eyes at his admission.  They were _friends_.  “Right” she said with a shaky sigh.  She opened the apartment door and glancing behind her, avoiding Wyatt’s face etched in concern and confusion, she whispered, “Good-bye Wyatt” and shut the door behind her.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know....these two SUCK at communication. 
> 
> Thanks for reading -- I always appreciate and look forward to your feedback and comments. They DO give me encouragement.


	14. Chapter 14

Laying on her bed in her mother’s house, Lucy stared out at the night sky wondering how in the world her life had gotten to be such a mess.  She had barely made it through the almost four-hour meeting with her mother without bursting into tears.  Every minute that she wasn’t desperately trying to focus her attention on program designs, speaking orders, and promotional materials for her mother’s book, she was picturing Wyatt with Jessica, overjoyed at their reconciliation, eating dinner together at “someplace nice”, making up for lost time in some darkened hotel room….

 

Nope.  Symposium.  Focus.

 

Such was the constant war she was battling with her thoughts the entire 227 minutes she was stuck in that cheerless conference room.  More than once, she had earned herself a reproving glare from her mother for her “absentmindedness” and Lucy silently rebuked herself for allowing Wyatt to cause more drama in her life than he already had. 

 

Her mother, as expected, had immediately noticed Lucy’s stitches and assaulted her with question after question as to how they came about.  Lucy, still trying to compose herself, lied and told her mother that she had slipped in the shower.  To avoid any further discussion she told her mother that Wyatt had left town for work and asked if she might stay with her as her injury had her a bit spooked. Amazingly, her mother had bought her story hook, line and sinker and so Lucy was able to at least find refuge at her mother’s house with little more than a snide remark of “Noah wouldn’t have left you if you had a head injury.”

 

That wasn’t fair to Wyatt…Lucy knew he wouldn’t have left her either.  In fact, he had been glad that she had stayed at the apartment the previous night, so that she wouldn’t have been alone.  But now, it was clear that his interests lay elsewhere and she could not expect him to concern himself over her when he had Jessica back in his life.  They had five years of catching up to do and Lucy, no matter how much it hurt her, couldn’t hold him back from that.  She loved him too much to force him into a marriage and a life that he did not want.    

 

She toyed mindlessly with her wedding rings, thinking to herself how ironic it was that at almost the exact moment she had decided to wear them again, when she had given herself permission to hope, reality came crashing down.  She thought things had been going so well yesterday.  He had rushed back from San Diego to make sure she and Rufus were fine, he had gotten her breakfast, he had been so attentive, and they had been conversing almost like he was _her_ Wyatt.  Things weren’t quite so awkward and uncomfortable between them anymore. instead, everything seemed to be a little more familiar and easy.  After everything she had endured from him the previous week, these changes almost seemed too good to be true. 

 

And apparently, they were.

 

She turned over on her side and cried bitterly.  She should have never allowed herself to hope – she should have realized that she could never measure up to the woman whom Wyatt had mourned for five years.  From almost the first moment she met him, he had told her how much Jessica had meant to him.  Hell, it was his attempt to bring her back in 1962 that had thrown them together as a couple in the first place.  She sobbed into her pillow.  She should have never agreed to that silly charade.  She should have just made her mother happy and married Noah.  He, at least, didn’t have a wife…and he had seemed to really care about her…he had practically begged her to marry him and see reason.  Maybe he saw what she refused to see…that Wyatt never really loved her.

 

Her heart broke as those dark thoughts invaded her mind.  No.  She wouldn’t believe that.  She knew _her_ Wyatt loved her…and she loved him. _He_ had chosen her over Jessica…but now he was gone and replaced by another version of himself who had never cared for Lucy in the same way her Wyatt had.  How could he?  If she was still engaged to Noah in that timeline and he was still mourning Jessica, they probably never once considered the possibilities of something more between them.  She thought of how this Wyatt had coldly rejected the idea of even living with her and the tears fell once more.  She had foolishly hoped that he might still be her Wyatt, had thought that the change in his demeanor had meant something, but now, she resigned herself to the idea that her Wyatt was gone and she would probably never get him back.  

 

Lucy was desperately trying to calm herself, the last thing she needed was for her mother to hear her crying and come investigate the source of her emotional distress.  Why the hell did she have to pick up the wrong phone?  She could have been blissfully unaware of Wyatt’s rekindled relationship for a little while long longer, long enough to get through two days under her mother’s scrutiny. She had no idea how she was going to make it through dinner tomorrow night knowing that Wyatt would be out for a dinner of his own with Jessica.

 

Her phone screen brightened and Lucy reached over to check her notifications. 

 

Two missed calls from Wyatt.

 

Her heart ached at the sight.  She wished she could call him without sounding like a blubbering pathetic mess. She had told him to go to San Diego, after all.  She had told him that she didn’t want to hold him back from being with Jessica…and she meant it.  How could she live with herself knowing that the only reason Wyatt stayed with her was because he felt that it was his obligation?  It made her sick to her stomach just thinking about it.  If she called him now, in this state, the night before he began things anew with Jessica, it would just make things so much worse between them.  Lucy knew Wyatt would feel guilty and she didn’t want him to feel bad about getting a chance to make things right with his _wife_.  She swallowed hard.  Lucy knew that that term belonged to her in this timeline, but to this Wyatt, Jessica owned that title, she owned his heart…and had for much longer than he had known Lucy.   

 

She sighed heavily. Sleep, she knew, was going to be a near impossibility. 

 

 

*******

 

Wyatt arrived at Jessica’s new apartment the next day, tired from an uneasy night spent alone wondering what the hell had happened with Lucy.  They had been getting on so well and in the time it took him to change his clothes, things were suddenly back to the way they had been at the start of this whole mess.  She hadn’t returned his calls and Wyatt couldn’t understand why. 

 

Surely it wasn’t just because of the Noah thing.  She came out of that bedroom wearing her wedding rings.  Granted, it could have just been a ruse for her mother, but dammit, Wyatt knew things had been on the mend between them.  He knew he wasn’t just imagining their improving relationship. They had been talking, joking, laughing…she had stolen half of his sandwich.  No.  Something had definitely happened to upset her.  But what?  What had happened in the five minutes it took him to change his clothes? 

 

_Damn those pickles._

“Pickles?” asked Jessica with a quirked eyebrow. 

 

“Huh?”  Wyatt was jolted out of his thoughts by Jessica’s voice. “Oh..I’m sorry…just thinking out loud.”

 

Jessica’s face broke out into an incredulous smile, “About pickles?”  When Wyatt didn’t respond, she set down the box she was carrying and walked over to him. “What is going on with you?  I leave you alone for five minutes and you’re back to staring out in space again…and now you’re muttering about pickles.”

 

“I’m sorry, Jess.  I just…rough night.”  Wyatt said as he raked his hand coarsely over his face. 

 

She frowned slightly at him, “Wanna talk about it?”

 

Wyatt frowned and shook his head lightly.  “Nah…I just didn’t get much sleep, that’s all.” 

 

The fact was, Wyatt hadn’t gotten any sleep, he had been out of his mind with worry all night.  Jessica’s phone call that morning was a saving grace, helping her move would be a welcome distraction from pacing the floor of his apartment waiting for Lucy to return his calls.    

 

Jessica appraised him, “Does it have anything to do with why you rushed away the other day?”

 

Wyatt considered.  He left San Diego in a panic because Jiya’s text had told him that Lucy and Rufus had been rushed off to medical.  While he cared about both of them, Lucy was the one Wyatt had driven the eight hours for.  Lucy was the one he was thinking about the entire drive back to San Francisco. Lucy had been the one that he most wanted to see when he got back to Mason Industries…and yes, Lucy was the reason he had had such a terrible night.  Why the hell wasn’t she returning his calls? 

 

Jessica watched Wyatt as he furrowed his brow and bit his lip.  There was definitely something wrong, of that she was sure.  It wasn’t just today, though.  His appearance on her doorstep not just once, but twice in the past year – when they had barely been on speaking terms - seemed so odd to her.  She didn’t want to complain, it was nice having Wyatt back in her life.  For whatever had happened to them in their marriage, they had been together for a long time and had known each other even longer than that.  She eyed him warily.  “So, you never did tell me why you were in San Diego.  Did you have to go to Pendleton?”

 

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders, “No, like I told you, I just came down to see how you were doing.”

 

Jessica had been rummaging around in the box she had set down in the living room but stopped dead in her tracks at Wyatt’s admission,  “You drove eight hours _just_  to see how I was doing?”  She laughed at him, “Wyatt, _why_? Haven’t you ever heard of a phone call?  Text message?”

 

Yeah, he had heard of them…Lucy, apparently, had not. 

 

When Wyatt didn’t answer, Jessica rounded on him, “This doesn’t have anything to do with the last time you came to see me, does it?  Because seriously, Wyatt you’re married now and I’m just not interested in screwing that up…I appreciate your help with my move, but if sneaking around is why you’re here, you can get the hell out.” 

 

Wyatt turned to look at her in surprise.  _That_ had definitely gotten his attention.  “What are you talking about?”

 

Jessica rolled her eyes and muttered curse words under her breath.  “Like you don’t remember.  C’mon Wyatt. You show up on my doorstep, proclaiming your love for me, begging me to take you back.” She rolled her eyes at him, “You looked like hell…really, not too far from how you looked this last time you showed up on my door, though I thank you for not proclaiming your undying love for me this time.”

 

Wyatt screwed up his face. Other him had gone to see Jessica and had begged her to come back to him…while he was engaged to Lucy…of course, he had hardly known Lucy at the time.  Wyatt cleared his throat, “I’m sorry, Jess…I don’t remember much about that trip.”

 

She was standing looking at him with her arms crossed, “You did seem a little out of your mind. Scared the shit out of me, if I’m totally honest.”  She shook her head. “And dammit Wyatt, you were engaged.  I thought then that I had set you straight…chocked it up to cold feet. When I heard you had gotten married, I was so happy for you – happy that you had gotten over whatever it was you were feeling for me.  I didn’t expect to see you back at my door.”

 

Wyatt swallowed hard. How must it look to Jessica?   He had driven eight hours just to see her when he’s supposed to be happily married to Lucy?   Wyatt stammered, “I-I just have been going through some weird stuff lately, Jess.  I’m sorry if I upset you…I just needed – “

 

“Closure?” Jess asked with a wry smile. 

 

Wyatt gave her a small smirk, “Something like that, yeah.”

 

Jessica smirked back at him, “I can understand that.  I’ve missed you, Wyatt…and I’m not sure that I should say this, but you just don’t seem like yourself at all right now and while I want to be here for you…I just can’t be _that_ for you.”

 

Wyatt’s eyes widened as he realized what she was implying, “Oh, God…no, Jess.  That’s not what this is.  Lucy and I...” but he couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.  They weren’t fine.  Not by a long shot.  She wasn’t living with him…she wasn’t even returning his calls.

 

Jessica approached him tentatively, her hands in her back pockets.  “You know, Wyatt…what I said before about second chances?  I meant it.”

 

Wyatt gave her a small smile and nodded.  “Thanks, Jess.”

 

“C’mon, we’ve been working all morning.  I think you and I deserve a break, don’t you?”  she grabbed her purse.  “How about we grab some lunch?  My treat?”

 

The two of them made their way to a small deli just around the corner from her new place.  They sat at a small table in the back and chatted about old times – high school, being newly married, and what had happened in Jessica’s life over the past five years.  She had asked him about Lucy and he found that even though he wasn’t really married to her, he had no problem conveying to Jessica what it was that made Lucy Preston one of the most amazing women he had ever met.  It was nice, comfortable and easy conversation. Jessica was happier than he had ever remembered her being while he was married to her.  She seemed to have a lightness about her that was missing before; he imagined the pressure of dealing with his dangerous job had weighed her down with stress and anxiety.  He was sorry that he had never really taken the time to have a real heart to heart with her like this before, but he was grateful for the chance to do it now.  They laughed and talked until Jessica got a text from her landlord.

 

“Oh, I have to run back – they’re there to install my security system.  You wanna grab some to-go boxes to wrap this up” she pointed to their half-eaten sandwiches “and meet me back at my place?”

 

Wyatt nodded and then took the bill from her, insisting to pay for it himself.  She thanked him with a hug and a kiss and then winked at him and said “Don’t be too long…we have a lot of work left to do…I might as well make the most of having you all to myself for the day.”

 

Wyatt chuckled as she flew out of the door back towards her apartment.  He had just walked up to the register to pay when he saw someone waving to him from the corner of his eye. 

 

_Dammit._

   

It was Bam Bam and he was wearing the biggest shit eating grin Wyatt had ever seen. 

 

He slid off his bar stool and sidled over to his friend. “Hey, Wyatt.”  He glanced in the direction Jessica just left, “Cute girl…I forgot you had a thing for blondes…heading back to her place, huh?”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes impatiently, “What do you want, Bam Bam?”

 

“Easy there, man.  I’m not judging.” He replied throwing up his hands in mock surrender.

 

He wasn’t judging.  On the contrary, he had just realized that his assumptions about his Delta Force buddy and one certain historian were apparently very wrong.  Lucy didn’t seem to be engaged anymore, and while Wyatt had definitely shown that he cared about her, seeing Wyatt on this date convinced him that his regard for Lucy was to be attributed to the closeness of the team.  They did go through some pretty crazy shit together, so it was to be expected.  No - from what he had just seen and heard, Wyatt was at the mercy of a certain little blonde number, which Bam Bam thought, greatly increased his chances with a cute, and apparently newly available brunette. Tonight was going to be better than he thought.     

 

“I just wanted to know if we were still on for drinks this evening…unless of course,” he gave him a smirk, “you’re…um…busy doing other things?”  

 

Wyatt stared at Bam Bam, sardonically. “No, I should be able to meet you. Where?

Bam Bam shrugged, “We’re gonna meet up at a place downtown called Local Edition.  Lucy’s got some fancy dinner at the place across from there…it was the only way we could convince her to come.”

 

Wyatt’s eyes shot up to Dave Baumgardner’s. “You talked to Lucy?”

 

Bam Bam shrugged, “Yeah, I talked to her this morning, why?”

 

Wyatt felt like he had been punched in the stomach.  Lucy was ignoring his phone calls, but taking Bam Bam’s?  What the hell was going on?  Wyatt did his best to act nonchalant.  He frowned and shrugged his shoulders, “No reason.”

 

“Well man, look, I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you’re up to this afternoon” He gave him a wink.  “I’ll text you when we head over.”  He began to walk out of the door, “Oh, and blondie can come along too if you want.

 

Wyatt made his way back to Jessica’s apartment his mind awash with hurt and confusion.  Now he definitely knew that Lucy was avoiding him, his conversation with Bam Bam had just confirmed it.  But what the hell had he done?  He shouldn’t have let her go last night without making her talk to him…he was so afraid of pushing too hard, but now it seems, he didn’t push hard enough. That absolutely settled it - if Lucy would be at the bar tonight for drinks, Wyatt would make damn sure he was there too…and he wouldn’t let her out of his sight until she told him what the hell he had done to make her so upset.    

 

With that new resolution firm in his mind, Wyatt spent the rest of the afternoon helping Jessica unpack her many boxes, move furniture, and hang photos.  By the time 6PM rolled around, her once barren new apartment, looked a little more like home.  Jessica stepped back to take in her new surroundings.  “Wow, I think this is like a record.  I never would’ve gotten so much done without you.  I hope your wife doesn’t mind that I kept you all day.”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “She knows that I’m trying to right some wrongs.”

 

She smiled at him, “She seems like a real gem.  I can’t wait to meet her.” She checked her watch.  “Which reminds me, we should probably get ready…did you pick a nice place for dinner?”

 

Oh shit.  He had forgotten all about that.  She had told him before he left San Diego that she had wanted to do dinner…not that he didn’t have a good excuse for forgetting. Wyatt screwed up his face, “Dammit, I’m really sorry Jess.  I just remembered you said something about that before I left San Diego.”

 

Jessica looked disappointed, “I sent you a text to remind you.” 

 

Wyatt looked at her confused as he pulled out his phone, “When?” 

 

“Yesterday morning.” 

 

Wyatt flipped through his messages and came across two that he had apparently missed from Jessica. He furrowed his brow in thought. How did he miss these texts?   He had hardly put his phone down after Lucy had gone, hoping that she would call him and explain why she had been so upset before leaving. He checked the time stamp.    _11:47 AM_.  Huh, that was right before Lucy le-“

 

Shit. 

 

He knew now why Lucy was avoiding him.  If she had seen these messages without the proper context….

 

Shit.   

 

Wyatt almost bolted for the door again before realizing that Jessica deserved some sort of explanation. “I’m sorry, Jess…I think I really screwed up something with Lucy…I have to go try to explain.”

 

Jessica frowned in disappointment, “It’s okay...I hope it’s nothing too serious.” She winked “I can vouch for you if you want me to.”  He nodded his thanks as she continued, “Thanks for all your help today, Wyatt.  It really means a lot.”

 

“Of course, Jess…glad I could do it.” Wyatt said as he grabbed his jacket.

 

Jessica opened her apartment door for him as he made ready to leave, “I hope we can do dinner another night.  I really do want to meet her.”  Jessica tilted her head at him playfully, “I have to make sure she actually exists, she sounds superhuman.”

   

A small smile met Wyatt’s lips as he muttered, “Thanks, Jess.” The fact that Jessica, his lightning bolt, was now complimenting and supporting his marriage to the woman who took her place in his heart gave him a strange sense of peace.  He looked up at her and saw her for the first time in years as she really was – a not so perfect woman with whom he had shared a few not so perfect years.  He was brimming over with gratitude for the opportunity he had been given to have this time with Jessica…to heal old wounds and to right some wrongs, to see his marriage to her as it truly was and not through the rose-colored glasses he had put on after her death.  Her desire to meet Lucy filled Wyatt with unimaginable happiness…for the woman he had loved and lost to be eager to meet the woman he now lov-

 

Shit. 

 

He needed to see Lucy. 

 

He gave Jessica a hug and raced out of her building, checking the time.  He hadn’t gotten a text from Bam Bam yet and if Lucy had a dinner, there was probably still time to run back to the apartment to change. Jumping in his Jeep moments later, he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Rufus.

 

_Make sure Lucy doesn’t leave before I get there._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been working feverishly to get this chapter ready for you...so much so, that 15 is almost done too!! YAY! I hope this helps with SOME of the angst anxiety I left you with last time. There is still more angst to be had in this story, but there are also wonderful moments of fluff...so I hope you'l bear with me through it all. I know this fic is LONG...it's actually longer than I had anticipated it being...and we still have a little ways to go, (AHHHH) so I appreciate you investing your time to read this little story of mine. For those you who review, thank you. I love to get your feedback. It does encourage me to keep at it...because writing fiction is HARD WORK. 
> 
> Once again, thank you for reading.


	15. Chapter 15

 

Lucy could not remember an evening less enjoyable than the one she was currently suffering through.  She and her mother had taken a taxi to Hakkasan, an upscale Chinese restaurant in downtown San Francisco, to have a special dinner with the Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.  Despite the presence of the entire history department, Lucy was forced to sit between her mother and the Dean, listening to them both lecture her on her recent “lack of focus” with regards to her career in academia.  Given that her mother had built the department and given it the prestige that it currently enjoyed, everyone had high hopes for her daughter.  Lucy Preston was a promising talent but was now losing her chance at tenure because she was far too interested in the “notoriety that came from working with someone as cutting edge and mainstream as Connor Mason.”

 

Such was the tenor of the discussions swirling around her throughout dinner.  She, however, gave no indication that she even heard them, in fact, she hardly spoke a word. Though she did hear their not so subtle accusations and lectures regarding her career, her mind was far too engaged in more personal matters to care.  Wyatt was probably out with Jessica at that very moment.  What would they be saying to each other?  What would he be promising her?  A divorce from Lucy?  Surely.  A new start someplace far away from any reminders of their past failed marriage? Probably.  Intermingled with these thoughts came snippets of her mother’s conversations to anyone who would listen about how Lucy was “throwing her life’s ambition away,” how she had worked so hard for tenure and “given up just as she was reaching the finish line.”  “Lucy,” she had said, “just needed a push to refocus her energy and appreciate how fortunate she was to be at Stanford as such a young professor.” 

 

Maybe her mother was right.  Maybe she _was_ throwing her life’s work away.  And for what?  What had this job with Connor Mason brought her but heartache?   Amy, her father….and now Wyatt - all gone because of Connor Mason and his time machine.  She looked at her mother, blissfully ignorant of the radical changes that had occurred to their family’s reality.  How Lucy envied her.  Losing Amy had been unimaginably painful and she had no one to mourn her loss with. No one who really understood what it was like to have someone you love suddenly forgotten by time and erased from existence.  Wyatt had tried.  He had offered her sympathy and promised her that they would fix it, together.  He, however, had his own lost love to save…and now, he had her back.  Lucy heaved a heavy sigh.  Maybe she should just give it up, stop fighting an increasingly losing battle and focus on her “real” career.  At least if she remained in the present while Flynn and the others battled through time, she would have no knowledge of changes made to her timeline.  One day she could wake up to a new reality, not remembering Amy…Wyatt…any of it.

 

She would do it in a heartbeat…she would leave her job at Mason Industries behind and pray that ignorance would come.  Blissful ignorance.  How much sweeter would her life be without the heartache that came from living in a timeline without Amy?  Without Wyatt?  How she wished she could flip a switch and go back to that night Homeland Security knocked on her door.  Even if Amy had still disappeared, Lucy would be none the wiser.  She would’ve woken up in a new reality, engaged to Noah, her mother well…and she would’ve never known anything was amiss.  She sighed as her heart broke a little at the thought of never knowing two of the most important people in her life.  Who would she be without Wyatt and Amy?

 

Could she really do it?

 

No. 

 

No matter the pain she felt at losing them in this timeline, to never know them at all?  They were a part of her and to forget them completely would be unforgiveable.  Sure, it might lessen the sting of the hurt she was feeling, but both of them had helped her become the woman she was and she couldn’t lose that -  even if it meant she could only hang on to the memory of them.   Besides, she was the only one in existence that remembered Amy. How could she abandon her quest to bring her sister back?  Amy was depending on her, she could not let her down no matter how heartbroken she was.  

 

At long last the torturous dinner concluded and Lucy found herself facing yet another opportunity for torment – a night out with the team to celebrate Rufus’ recovery.  When Bam Bam had called to issue the invitation that morning, she point blank refused.  She was in no mood to celebrate, even for Rufus.  Besides, she told him, she had a dinner with the History Department that evening…the other, unspoken reason, was that she was hoping to avoid a certain newly reconciled couple.  However, Bam Bam would not take no for an answer.  When he threatened to show up at her restaurant and drag her away himself, Lucy finally relented and agreed to meet them, but only for a few minutes and only if it was close to where she was dining.  Being forced to socialize with Wyatt and Jessica topped the list of things she would rather not do.  She also had no desire to spend her night traipsing all over San Francisco, when all she really wanted was to sit on her mother’s couch, binge on Netflix and eat ice cream.

 

Upon further reflection, however, she imagined that Wyatt and Jessica would most likely not be joining them anyway.  Their first night together, alone, after five long years apart?  It was highly doubtful that they would even consider going to the bar.  So, she rationalized, being surrounded by her friends and being out on the town, would help distract her from thoughts about the happy pair and what they would be doing. Alone.  Together.  While drowning her sorrows in a pint of Haagen Daz was tempting, she knew that she would rather be among friends than under her mother’s watchful eye…at least with them, she wouldn’t have to lie.  If her thoughts strayed to one blue-eyed soldier, Jiya and Rufus at least, would understand. 

 

Such was her mindset until she reached for the door of the bar.  With a stab of panic she wondered what she would do if she was wrong…what if Wyatt _was_ here with Jessica?   She stood frozen momentarily outside on the sidewalk thinking that perhaps this was a terrible idea.  She looked down at her outstretched hand and saw, with horror, the wedding rings she had slipped on before leaving the apartment.  In the event that Wyatt _was_ in there with Jessica, how would he feel if he saw them on her finger?  For one brief moment, she relished in the idea of reminding him not so subtly that _she_ was his wife in this timeline, that whatever he had with Jessica, didn’t matter because he was _her_ husband.  But almost as soon as those feelings came, they went; her selflessness won over and she slowly slipped off her wedding rings and placed them in her handbag.  This Wyatt was not her Wyatt, she reminded herself.  He hadn’t made those vows and thus, she could not and would not hold them over his head.  She determined that if she opened the door and saw that the happy couple _were_ there, she would simply turn around and go home, avoiding them altogether. If not, she would stay and try to enjoy herself as much as she possibly could under the circumstances.  That resolve was challenged, however, when a sneaky voice in her head whispered that Wyatt and Jessica might still show up later and then what would she do?  She would be forced to witness them…together…in love…and there would be no way she could hide her misery from the rest of the team.  It would be a worse torture than dinner with her mother…it would be a living representation of Hell on Earth.

 

Yeah, this was a terrible idea.  Netflix and ice cream would be better.  So much better.

 

She had just turned around to hail for a taxi when Jiya burst out of the door and grabbed her arm “I thought I saw you standing out here!  I don’t know where you think you’re going but we came all the way down here for you, so you can’t ditch us.”  Jiya glanced her friend up and down, “Besides, you look like a million bucks, Lucy.  No way should this look be wasted on those stuffed shirts from Stanford”

 

Reluctantly, Lucy allowed herself to be dragged into the place by her friend, but saw immediately that there had been no reason to panic.  Wyatt was not there…which now put her in mind of other things he could be doing and with whom and she was right back to feeling miserable again.

 

Bam Bam was talking with Rufus at a table, but upon seeing Lucy, dressed as she was, his mouth hung open in awe of how damn fine Lucy Preston looked in heels and a little black dress.  He gallantly stood up, greeted her warmly, ushered her to their booth and headed to the bar to order Lucy’s requested lime and soda. 

 

“Damn Lucy, you clean up nice.” Rufus said with a low whistle.  “Wait ‘til Wyatt sees you in that get up.”

 

‘What!?” said Lucy her eyes widening in alarm.  “He’s not coming, is he?”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows at her in confusion, “Yeah, he’s coming…and he told me specifically to make sure you stayed put, so…hey, where the hell are you going?  You just got here!”

 

Lucy was already gathering her things and scooching out of the booth, “Nope, sorry Rufus…you can make up some excuse, I’m not staying.”

 

Rufus began arguing with her, telling her he “wasn’t some damn messenger boy” but she was paying him no mind. She had just started towards the door, when none other than Wyatt Logan walked through it.

 

Alone. 

 

Well that, at least, was something. 

 

His eyes widened at the sight of her.  She looked gorgeous…and Wyatt felt his mouth go dry as the rest of the room melted away leaving one wonderfully elegant, Lucy Preston, standing only a few feet away staring back at him in stunned surprise.  He stood there, momentarily rooted to the spot, taking in how breathtakingly beautiful she looked.  He had seen her in every kind of outfit imaginable, throughout countless years and centuries, but somehow a simple black dress had him almost too dumbfounded to speak or even move. The realization of the depth of his feelings for her and his determination that he had to confess those feelings was the only thing that brought him back to his senses long enough to put one foot in front of the other.

 

As Wyatt made his way towards her, Lucy felt a growing sense of dread. She was trapped.  Every step Wyatt took in her direction she negated by inching her way backwards to the table.  It wasn’t until Bam Bam appeared at her elbow with her newly acquired drink that she felt herself breathe again.  She returned quickly, albeit reluctantly to her seat, followed immediately by Bam Bam, who handed off her requested lime soda water with a flourish.  Wyatt arrived at the table just moments later, silently cursing Bam Bam and his bad timing. He scowled as he slid into the booth next to his Delta Force friend, noting with more than a twinge of jealousy that Dave Baumgardner was sitting just a little too close to Lucy for his liking. 

 

Rufus, who now understood that something must have happened between Wyatt and Lucy since yesterday, now sat staring at the two of them.  He noted that Lucy absolutely refused to look in Wyatt’s direction, while Wyatt was looking at nothing but her.  Rufus leaned over and whispered to Jiya who was engrossed in her menu, “I think we may have a Wyatt and Lucy situation here.”

 

Jiya eyes snapped up from her menu and she looked at her two friends, both of them looking completely miserable.  Lucy on the verge of tears and Wyatt looking like he was about to tear through Dave Baumgardner to get to her.  She shrugged at Rufus and then reached across him to rub her friend’s hand, mouthing “You okay?” to Lucy’s upturned face.  Lucy gave a curt nod in return and Jiya shrugged once again to Rufus and turned back to her menu, deciding to assess the situation at the table under the guise of ordering an appetizer.  

 

Bam Bam, meanwhile, greeted his friend with a smile and a pat on the back. “Hey man!  Glad you could join us!!”  Wyatt nodded, still not taking his eyes from Lucy who was now suddenly interested in the condensation pooling on the surface of her glass.  She was lazily swirling the water droplets with the tip of her finger, almost completely mesmerizing Wyatt by the action until Bam Bam’s voice jarred him to attention.  “So, where’s that cute little blonde number you were running around with earlier?  I told you to bring her along!”

 

Lucy’s finger stilled as her breath caught in her throat.  She could feel traitorous tears beginning to pool in her eyes as she waited in agony for Wyatt’s answer.  Rufus and Jiya both looked up from their menus and Wyatt shifted uncomfortably under the sudden attention he was receiving, knowing that what Bam Bam had said had just made a bad situation, worse.  Wyatt looked helplessly towards Lucy, but now more than ever, she refused to even glance his way.  He could see with mounting guilt that she was suffering and he felt awful. He wasn’t about to entertain Bam Bam’s assumptions…it was none of his damn business.  He wanted to talk to Lucy.  Alone. Away from everyone…but how the hell was he supposed to do that when she wouldn’t even look at him?  He gave a meaningful glare to Rufus, nodding his head towards an ever-increasingly distraught Lucy, willing him to understand that he needed him to offer comfort, distraction…anything…since Wyatt could not.      

 

Rufus, catching Wyatt’s drift and seeing Lucy’s obvious distress, tried in vain to change the subject, “So…” he said loudly, “I hear the hot wings in this place are out of this world, fantastic.”

 

Wyatt groaned at Rufus’ feeble attempt to change the subject.  As he suspected, Bam Bam’s response to Rufus’ comment was fleeting.  He merely nodded at him before he turned his attention back to Wyatt, “You know, I’m proud of you, man.  You looked really happy today. I know…I know, I never met Jess, but damn man, it’s been what? Five years?  I’m glad to see you’re finally moving on.”

 

Wyatt closed his eyes and grimaced.  This was just getting worse.  Dave Baumgardner might have been his best friend in Delta Force, but he was now regretting that he hadn’t beaten the shit out of him in private when he had the chance. If Bam Bam wouldn’t shut up, he was going to have to kick his ass in public.    

 

Jiya’s mouth hung open as she cast a pitiful look towards Lucy who was now actually wiping away tears.  She also tried to change the focus of the conversation, “Maybe we should talk about something else?"

 

Seeing Lucy suffering needlessly as she was, was killing Wyatt inside.  He had to let her know that there was nothing happening between him and Jessica.  He cleared his throat, “It’s not what it looked like.  It was nothing…really.  It was nothing.  I was just-“

 

Bam Bam laughed heartily, “Oh c’mon Wyatt, we’re all adults here. “Nothing” doesn’t give you a hug and a kiss like that, my friend.”  Dave Baumgardner looked over at a now gaping Jiya and Rufus. “See, they don’t believe it was “nothing” either.”

 

Rufus immediately shook his head to protest that accusation, not wanting a now glaring Wyatt to kick _his_ ass, before Bam Bam continued with a loud whisper towards the engineering couple, “She said she was going to make the most of having him all to herself this afternoon.” He gave them both a hearty wink.     

 

With that statement, Lucy whimpered miserably and covered her face with her hands, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.  Rufus and Jiya, meanwhile, turned accusatory stares toward Wyatt who was now looking up at the ceiling cursing Bam Bam and praying silently that he would have the self-restraint not to kill him right then and there.   

 

Not wanting to make Lucy anymore uncomfortable than she already was, Wyatt forced a smile, leaned over to Dave Baumgardner and gruffly whispered in German, “Halt die Klappe.”          

 

Bam Bam looked back at him in surprise, “Whoa, there’s no need to be embarrassed, Wyatt.  You should’ve brought her along!  Then we could have paired off evenly, I mean I’m not trying to make assumptions here, but Rufus and Jiya, you with your cute little blonde thing and…well,” he flashed a devilish grin, “me and Lucy.  No need for you to be a fifth wheel.”

 

Wyatt looked murderous, “I said shut the hell up, Bam Bam”

 

Rufus and Jiya had completely abandoned their menus and were now staring, open mouthed at the scene unfolding before them.

 

Lucy wanted to die. There was no way this could get any more awkward than it already was.  She looked around the room, desperate to plot out any means of escape.  It was then that she realized she should have never tempted fate because of course it could  _always_ get worse.  There, seated at the next table over, staring at them and whispering to his apparent date was none other than her former fake fiancé, Noah.  “Oh dear, God” she sobbed as she slid down the booth. 

 

Wyatt looked over at Lucy with marked concern.  Following her former eye line to see what had upset her even more than she already was, he started at the sight of the smarmy jackass he hated in every single timeline.  Upon making eye contact with Wyatt, Noah changed color and went back to perusing his menu and whispering to his date.  Observing all of this, Bam Bam muttered to Lucy, “Someone you know?”

 

Lucy took a shaky sip of her lime water wishing to God it was something stronger.  She made a desperate attempt at aloofness, “Oh…no…just someone I used to kind of be engaged to.”

 

Upon hearing this, Rufus and Jiya both turned to face Noah who met their stares with a haughty sneer.

 

“Oh, so that’s the famous Noah” Bam Bam nodded at a seething Wyatt giving him a knowing wink.  He took in the scene before him.  Noah had his arm wrapped around his date, taking care to glance meaningfully in Lucy’s direction every chance he got.   “What a Grade A sonofabitch.  Last week he was engaged to Lucy and here is, bold as brass…gloating.”  He turned to Lucy sympathetically, “Don’t you pay that asshole any mind.  That girl he’s with can’t hold a candle to you.”

 

Wyatt glowered at Bam Bam and through gritted teeth he murmured, “Bitte hör auf zu reden”  But Bam Bam merely waved Wyatt off, turning once more towards Lucy whom he had just noticed was flushed and shaking.  He put a comforting hand on her arm “Hey, no need to be intimidated.  Just remember you are sitting at a table with two of Delta Force’s finest, looking like something out of a dream, I might add.  He’s going to rue the day he ever walked out on you.”  He threw his arm around Lucy, mimicking Noah’s actions with his date.  Lucy once again tried to play off her distress by taking a sip of her lime water.  Bam Bam hugged her close to him and whispered, “Allons le rendre jaloux”

 

Wyatt didn’t speak French…he didn’t need to.  He caught the gist of what Dave Baumgardner was saying to Lucy by the way she choked on her drink and attempted to wriggle herself out of his embrace.  Wyatt clenched his fists and growled at Bam Bam in German once more, “Lass sie in Ruhe”

 

Bam Bam rolled his eyes at Wyatt and hissed, “Relax, we’re just trying to make the ex-fiancé a little jealous.  We can’t have him showing up our favorite historian, now can we?”  He turned his attention back to Lucy, who was now cradling her head in her hands wishing to hell that she had just turned tail and run away from the bar when she had the chance.   What was wrong with Netflix and ice cream?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing. 

 

Lucy knew, without even looking up, that Noah was staring at her – she could feel his eyes boring into her like a drill.  He would report everything to her mother…of that, she had no doubt.  If she needed any evidence of the consequences of Lucy’s poor choices, what was happening right here and now would give her more than enough fodder.  Bam Bam fawning all over Lucy right in front of Wyatt…her _husband_?  Wyatt’s afternoon of “nothing” with a cute little blonde number?  There would be no coming back from this.  Her mother already believed she was throwing her life away.  This?  This would take her from garbage chute to raging dumpster fire. 

 

Bam Bam turned fully towards Lucy now, who was shrinking away from him so much that she was practically in Rufus’ lap.  He smiled at her sadly, “Lucy, just relax, okay?  We’ve got this.”  He winked at her as he patted her hand, “Allez ça va être amusant” Wyatt’s face was twisted in fury, he leaned over to Bam Bam and hissed, “Leave her the hell alone.”  When Bam Bam once again, waved him off with a chuckle, Wyatt grabbed onto Bam Bam’s arm and snarled, “Ich werde dir in den Arsch treten”

   

In a desperate attempt to break the tension, Rufus pointed to the menu and announced, “Oh look, they have nachos! Extra guac?  What do you say, guys?”

 

The promise of nachos, with or without the extra guacamole did little to sway Bam Bam, however. He was too interested in the possibility of sticking it to Lucy’s ex-fiancé and maybe earning himself a few brownie points for his efforts.  So, when Noah turned his eyes towards their table once more, Dave Baumgardner leaned closer to Lucy and whispered in her ear, “He’s looking….que diriez-vous d’un baiser?”

 

Lucy, half sobbing, half laughing hysterically, slid so far down the booth she was practically on the floor.  If she had to crawl out of this damn bar on her hands and knees, she would.  Anything to get away from this nightmare.

 

Bam Bam, thinking that she had suffered some kind of fit, quickly reached for her and pulled her back into her seat.  With real concern, he wrapped his arms around Lucy attempting to soothe her by asking gently, if there was anything that she needed.         

 

That, incidentally, was the last straw for Wyatt.  He had finally had enough of Bam Bam’s antics.  He gripped him by the collar and pulled him out of the booth gritting, “Get your damn hands off my wife.”

     

Bam Bam’s eyes grew as wide as saucers as he stammered out in complete astonishment, “Your WHAT?”

 

“She’s my wife, asshole.” Wyatt growled at him as Lucy shimmied her way out of the booth and ran for the exit.  Wyatt caught sight of her escaping, threw Bam Bam back in the booth and quickly gave chase, cursing under his breath as he left. 

 

Dave Baumgardner sat looking towards the exit in a state of absolute bewilderment.  He turned to Rufus and Jiya who had turned their attention back to their menus, looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. “Why the hell didn’t he tell me they were married?  Why would he tell me she was engaged to that guy?  Bam Bam pointed towards Noah who had turned his attention back to his date. 

 

Rufus glanced up from his menu, lazily, “Because they weren’t married then.”

 

Bam Bam screwed his face up, “So they got hitched this week?  How the hell did they pull that off?” He straightened up his shirt and took a drink of his beer.  “I mean, what the hell?  Why wasn’t I invited?  And with the mission and everything…when did they have time to tie the knot?

 

Jiya shrugged not looking up from the menu, “Six months ago”

 

“Six months ago?”  Bam Bam pointed to Rufus, “How could they have been married six months ago if they weren’t married last week?”

 

Rufus and Jiya placed their menus down and looked at Bam Bam with pity.  Clearly the poor man was confused, but explaining the delicacies of time travel and time line shifts with him was not something either of them were prepared to do tonight.  They had come out to celebrate, not to teach a lesson in metaphysics.

 

When it was clear that no explanation was forthcoming, Bam Bam threw his hands up in exasperation and took a long swig of his beer.  He seemed content to believe that for whatever reason Wyatt and Lucy were married, though he was still not clear on the when.  He had just lifted the bottle back to his lips when he was struck with a thought, ‘Wait a minute, who the hell was that blonde, then?

 

“That would have been Wyatt’s ex-wife” Jiya answered lazily. 

 

Bam Bam sat back in confusion.  “ _Ex_ -wife? I didn’t know Wyatt got remarried after Jessica…well, not until tonight anyway.”

 

Not taking his eyes off of his menu, Rufus pursed his lips together and answered casually, “No, that was Jessica.”

 

Bam Bam stared back at Rufus in disbelief, “But she died.”

 

“Yup” Rufus and Jiya answered together. 

 

Bam Bam nodded his head slowly, quirking his eyebrow at the two engineers sitting next to him; each one looking as if there was nothing at all unusual about this conversation.  He was going crazy.  He had to be.  He took another swig of beer, “Anything else I should know?”

 

Rufus frowned in thought, “No, that about sums it up.”

 

******

 

Wyatt, meanwhile, had raced out into the darkened street to find Lucy.  Much to his dismay, she had already made her way down to the next block. He had no idea how she moved so damn fast in those heels.  He took a deep breath and went running after her, “Lucy!  Dammit Lucy, wait!”

 

“Just leave me alone, Wyatt.” She yelled over her shoulder.  “I can’t believe they talked me into coming here tonight…big mistake.” She muttered under her breath as she tried to hail for a taxi.

 

Wyatt caught up with her and put a gentle hand on her arm, “Will you just talk to me? Please?”

 

She stiffened, throwing his hand off of her arm, “What do you want to talk about, Wyatt?  Huh?  How you basically balked at the idea that you could ever be married to me?  How you hated even the idea of living with me?  How you kissed me and then avoided me for three whole days?”  She was half in tears as she sobbed, “How you ran off to San Diego to see Jessica and forgot to tell me that you two were getting back…”

 

Suddenly Wyatt’s arms were around her waist pulling her in for a desperate kiss.  Lucy tried to pull away, but as his hand raked up her back and into her hair, she slowly melted into his arms and Wyatt thought he might just melt with her.  He pulled her closer against his body until he could feel her heart beating against his own, delighting in the feel of her pressed against him.  She felt like she belonged there, like she was a part of him that had been missing until this moment.  He never wanted to let her go.  He kissed her insistently, hungry for more of her, drinking her in until his lungs burned for air and only then did he reluctantly pull his mouth away from hers.  Her brown doe-like eyes brimmed with tears searched his for some kind of explanation, some kind of confirmation of what this meant.  He brushed his hand softly against her cheek as he leaned his forehead into hers and whispered.  “I don’t love Jessica.  I love you.”

 

For one brief moment, Wyatt could see a glimmer of hope and happiness in Lucy’s eyes.  She gazed back at him in wonder until suddenly, as if coming to her senses, she pushed roughly away from him with a gasp, “What?!”  There was no longer a softness in her expression…if Wyatt had to guess how she was feeling right now, he’d say –

 

“How _dare_ you.” she gritted out. 

 

Yup, she was pissed.

 

Maybe he should’ve apologized first.

 

 Shit. 

 

She wriggled herself out of his arms, much to Wyatt’s utter dismay and panic and began pacing in front of him shaking her head while muttering, “No. No.  It’s not true.  No. You told me…”

 

Wyatt reached out for her tentatively, “Lucy…”

 

She swatted his hand away and turned to face him defiantly, almost growling “I **know** , Wyatt.” 

 

Completely puzzled and a little frightened by this turn of events, he quirked his eyebrow at her, “Wh-What do you know?”

 

“I know about Jessica.” Wyatt looked back at her puzzled. “Hell, everybody knows about Jessica.”  She was flailing her arms wildly at him.  Wyatt made to correct her, but Lucy, nearly hysterical now, continued her admonishment. “Guess you weren’t figuring on Bam Bam letting us all in on your little rendezvous.  Did you have a nice afternoon all to yourselves?”  He tried to answer, before Lucy cut him off again, “Never mind.  I don’t want to know the answer to that question.”  She sobbed. “I know you won her back, Wyatt…and it…it’s okay.  You don’t owe me anything.  Just go…go and be happy.”

 

Wyatt shook his head slowly at her. 

 

Lucy bristled, “I mean it, Wyatt.  Go!  You don’t have to pretend with me anymore, okay?  Spare me my pride, at least.”

 

“No.” Wyatt said a little more firmly.  He closed his eyes and huffed out in exasperation, “Lucy, you’ve got it all wrong.  I know I was an ass, but…dammit, Lucy, will you get back here?”

 

Wyatt had opened his eyes to see that Lucy, instead of being in front of him, was now huffing her way down the sidewalk, muttering under her breath. Wyatt broke out in another jog in pursuit of her.  “Don’t you have a cute little blonde number to get back to?” she hissed as he grabbed her elbow. 

 

“Why the hell would I want a cute little blonde number when I have everything I could ever want right here?” 

 

Lucy gave him a withering stare, “Oh, are you referring to me?  Funny, you didn’t seem to think that two days ago when you could hardly wait to go win her back.”  Her voice caught in her throat as she blinked back her tears, “I heard you, you know.  What you said to Rufus?  That losing me would be worth having Jessica in your life again?”  She sighed as she tugged her arm out of his grasp.  “So please…just…just leave me alone.”

 

Wyatt, desperate now, pulled her back and grasped both of her arms to keep her from running away from him again.  Stooping slightly to look her in the eyes he began, “Lucy, I’m sorry, okay? I want to kick my own ass for everything I said and did last week.”  She rolled her eyes at him impatiently, still attempting to wriggle out of his hold on her. “I mean, it Lucy – look, I admit I went down there to try to get Jess back, but almost as soon as I got to San Diego I knew I wasn’t where I needed to be.” She began to argue, but he talked over her, “No, Lucy it had nothing to do with the mission and everything to do with you.” He choked back the emotions now battling their way into his throat “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Lucy and when I got that text from Jiya…”

 

Real tears began to form in Wyatt’s eyes as he bit his lip in an attempt to control his feelings.  Lucy looked up at him in shock.  “But you…she” Lucy looked away sheepishly, “I saw the texts…I didn’t mean to, Wyatt…but I know…I know she moved to San Francisco to be with you.”

 

Wyatt let out a short laugh, “Lucy, she was already packed when I got to San Diego.”  She looked up at him in surprise, “Jess got a new job” he explained “I just told her I’d help her get settled.  That’s what I was doing this afternoon.”  And as if in anticipation for her next argument, Wyatt further clarified, “The dinner was her idea…because she wanted to meet you.”

 

Lucy gaped at him, too shocked to say anything…so he continued, “I told her all about you, Lucy.  Why the hell would I have done that if I was trying to win her back?”

 

She blinked back at him, her face still etched in disbelief, “But Bam Bam said –“

 

“Bam Bam is a damn idiot.  He ran into us at lunch today and saw what he wanted to see…because if you haven’t noticed,” Wyatt rolled his eyes in annoyance, “he’s kind of got a thing for you.”

 

Lucy looked up at Wyatt completely stunned. “Really?” she breathed out hardly daring to believe a word he said.

 

Wyatt wrapped his arms around her waist, ‘Yes, really…and I swear to God, if he talks to you in French again, I wi –“

 

Lucy silenced him with a kiss.  Her hands cupped his face as he immediately pulled her in closer, his heart almost full to bursting as she slowly snaked her arms around his neck.     

 

Wyatt pulled away from the kiss only to nudge her cheek lightly with his nose, ghosting his lips over hers.  His blue eyes, serious, locked on her brown ones as he murmured softly, “I am so in love with you, Lucy Preston.”

 

Lucy gave a slight hiccup as the reality of Wyatt’s words tore her emotions to shreds.

 

And then she was crying. 

 

And not just a few tears.  Wyatt held her back in alarm as she absolutely succumbed to a fit of…well…as much as he hated to think it, let alone admit it,…ugly crying. 

 

His eyes widened in alarm as he tried, but failed to calm her. Passers-by were now staring as Lucy blubbered uncontrollably fanning her hands in front of her face.  He reached out to her tentatively, “Lu-Lucy….are you okay?”

 

Lucy gasped, “I-I’m sorry.”  She sputtered, “I don’t know why I’m cr-crying so much.”

 

Wyatt tried his best to suppress a smile, “So…you’re…ha…you’re happy?”

 

He honestly wasn’t sure.   

 

Lucy stopped long enough to give him a shaky nod and then buried her face in his chest, sobbing into his shirt.  Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief.  He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head holding her against him, feeling half way between alarmed and amused as she used his favorite button-down as her own personal handkerchief.

 

When her breathing had steadied somewhat and her sobs became less frequent, he gently pulled her away and cupped her face in his hands.  Brushing away the remnants of tears, he whispered, “I’m sorry I was an ass.” She gave him a soft smile that made Wyatt go a little weak in the knees.  He cleared his throat, “Do you want to go back to the bar?”

 

Lucy kissed him on the cheek and purred into his ear, “No…let’s go home.”

 

A flood of eager anticipation washed over Wyatt as he held Lucy close to him pondering over what going home with her, his _wife_ , actually meant. He gave her a devilish smirk, “Lucy Preston, are you coming on to me?”

 

She giggled slightly as she smiled against his lips, “I am…and you know, it’s Lucy Preston-Logan, now”

 

Wyatt hummed against her mouth, “Even better.”  He kissed her one last time, before taking her by the hand and hailing a taxi.  As he held the door open for her and caught her come hither stare, Wyatt was oh so grateful that someone else would be focused on the road…his attention was definitely required elsewhere. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was SOOO excited to share this one with you and I hope you aren't disappointed. There's a lot of German and French being thrown around...and while I know a few phrases, I am by NO means proficient in either German or French, so blame Google translate if you notice any mistakes. 
> 
> Most of what they said to each other was reiterated in other parts of the narrative, but for those of you who are interested this is what they said....
> 
> Bam Bam's French to Lucy - Let's make him Jealous, Come on it will be fun, and How about a kiss?  
> Wyatt's German to Bam Bam - Shut the hell up, Please stop talking, Leave her alone, I'm going to kick your ass.  
> 
> Special thanks to my pal, Stina for being my sounding board. This chapter originally ended too sappy for me and I wasn't happy with it...it just wasn't didn't feel like it fit with the story, so I cut a few things, added a few others until it became something that I am really proud of -- again, I know I'm biased...but this really was my favorite chapter to write. It was a lot of fun...and a lot of work. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was a little longer in coming, but I didn't feel quite so bad since I left you with a good deal of fluff last time. As some of you are aware, I'm going to be getting kind of busy....I promise you that I will be doing my BEST to keep the time between chapter posts as short as I possibly can. I have most of the dialogue for the rest of this story already written out and a couple chapters partially finished, so really it's just finding the time to fill in the narrative, connect the dots, and edit.
> 
> As always, I appreciate your reading and reviewing...especially now when I get so busy. It keeps me motivated to open up the laptop at the end of a long day and write for you. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

 

If someone would have told Wyatt two weeks ago, that he would be wrapped around Lucy in the back of a cab, being kissed senseless, he would never have believed it.  Hell, even after this last week…or even the past 24 hours, he would have been hard pressed to imagine anything remotely intimate between him and the beautiful historian who was now cradled in his arms.  Harder still to believe was that he actually thought he could never have this again.  He had fought his feelings for Lucy for the better part of a year, denying himself even the slightest possibility to hope that he could ever love someone as completely and wholly as he did Jessica.  Now, however, looking down at Lucy, he knew that he not only loved her as much as he had once loved Jessica, he loved her even more. 

 

He hadn’t thought it possible.  Jessica, after all, was his lightning bolt…he knew the first moment he saw her that he loved her.  That was young love, naïve and full of hopes that they soon found weren’t grounded in reality.  Looking back, he understood that now more than ever.  Marriage was supposed to be their “happily ever after” but they quickly discovered that with marriage came responsibilities and obligations they weren’t quite prepared for as a young couple.  Add to that, different goals for the future and they found themselves more at odds with one another than not.  What had been “love at first sight” had slowly begun to deteriorate as life pushed them in opposite directions.  It wasn’t enough to help them weather the storms that came their way.  Deployments and moves, made for a constant change in jobs for Jessica, leaving friends and family behind while Wyatt was off "saving the world."  She learned to lean on others more than she leaned on him.  They grew apart.  Resentment and jealousy replaced love and affection…and though, he would always care for Jessica, he knew now that it was his guilt at her death, more than anything, that had caused him to idealize their relationship so much over the past five years. 

  

With Lucy, it was different. He hadn’t intended on falling for her, in fact, he had tried his damnedest not to.  She was bossy, uptight and high-strung…everything Jessica was not.  He and Lucy were polar opposites, from their oh so different backgrounds to their varying views on fate and destiny, no two people could have been more ill-fitted than they were.  He disliked her so much in fact, he made a point to introduce her as his “older” sister just to seal the deal that she was, by far, the last woman he could ever fall for. 

 

When they arrived at Lakehurst Naval Base in New Jersey, Wyatt arrogantly believed, as a military man, he had the upper hand.  Then Admiral Rosendahl dismissed him and his concerns, and Lucy was suddenly there with a convincing cover story about the Spanish Flu and just like that, she had him mobilizing the base in search of Garcia Flynn.  Lucy, the annoying historian whom he had dismissed as unnecessary and ill-suited for the mission, the nerd who was hung up on historically accurate underwear, the anxious, claustrophobic, no nonsense professor who had reprimanded him for drinking, had succeeded where he had failed.  Sure, she still irritated the hell out of him, but he began to see her value to the team.  Then, in that jail cell, he opened up to her about Jessica’s death in a way that surprised even him.  He wasn’t sure why he did it…he was never one to speak about things close to the heart; even less so with a near stranger, as Lucy was at the time.  However, something about her drew out his innermost thoughts and feelings…and it aggravated the hell out of him.  She was getting too close, too familiar…and that could not happen. He would be gruff, rude, anything but warm and kind to keep her safely at bay.  But then they were called in again…and she had lost her sister…and dammit, if he didn’t feel a tug of sympathy.  Seeing her cry after witnessing her idol gunned down before her very eyes...her admittance that she had tried, but failed to save his life…and well, Wyatt couldn’t help himself.  He comforted her…and in doing so, he felt a stirring, just a stirring…but enough to make him feel guilty.  So guilty, in fact, that he threw all caution to the wind and sent a telegram to Jessica from 1962 in a desperate attempt to stave off whatever it was that was beginning to brew inside of him.

 

Though _other_ him had come home to find Jessica alive, he, however, had remained burdened by grief and guilt, telling himself that he didn’t care for Lucy because he couldn’t care…and he truly believed that she didn’t care for him either.  Until Lucy saved him…twice over.   She needed him, she trusted him, she wouldn’t do the missions without him, and Wyatt felt, for the first time, in a long time, that he had something…or rather, _someone_ to live for.  Despite his best efforts, she had somehow broken through his impenetrable fortress and made herself right at home.  He hadn’t realized that she’d taken root there until one late night in Arkansas, 1934. 

 

The kiss that was never supposed to happen, the charade that was never supposed to take place, had made Wyatt realize that no matter what lies he had been telling himself, he had fallen for Lucy Preston…in two different timelines, no less.  The woman he had initially thought would be the last person he could ever fall for, the last person with whom he could even stand a chance, had somehow become the one person he couldn’t live without.  She had become everything to him, more important than the missions and though he couldn’t yet admit it, she was even more important to him than Jessica.  Lucy had rebuilt the walls of his broken heart and healed his very soul.  It was his guilt, his damned guilt, that kept him from freely admitting that to her…well, this version of him anyway.  Finding himself in this new timeline, while unnerving at first, was now something for which Wyatt would be eternally grateful. Jessica alive…and he, free from five years of self-inflicted penance, was miraculously given an opportunity (an almost missed opportunity) to act on the feelings he had tried so hard to bury. Despite everything, their different backgrounds and upbringings, they fit.  He couldn’t explain it…especially not now as his brain was slightly short-circuiting…all he knew was that he had never felt this way about anyone and he wanted to kick his own ass for denying himself so long, the chance to be deliriously happy.     

 

Kissing Lucy in 1934 had lit a spark that turned to a flame.  That flame, was now a raging inferno.  If Jessica was his lightning bolt, Lucy was the whole damn power grid, surging through him, making every nerve stand on end; a torrent of energy that absolutely overwhelmed him.  He touched her with a vigor and desperation that came with five years of denying himself even the idea of this.  Every touch, every sigh made him want more of her and oh God…did he want her.  To be married to Lucy, in every sense of the word, was all that was left to complete this dream of a reality he was now living in. They were minutes from their apartment, minutes away from being completely alone, minutes away from ending the night with a figurative and literal bang when Wyatt’s phone erupted into a series of buzzes and chirps. “If that’s Rufus, I’m gonna kill him.” Wyatt muttered as he extricated his hands from Lucy’s hair in an attempt to find it. The sound of Lucy’s phone echoing Wyatt’s, however, told them before they even managed to look at their screens that it wasn’t Rufus who had rudely interrupted their moment of reconciliation.

 

Breathless and little dazed from their backseat exertions, Lucy leaned into Wyatt’s shoulder as he groaned and cursed.  “Flynn?” she asked, already knowing the answer. 

 

Wyatt looked helplessly at Lucy, “What are the odds, Agent Christopher will give us the night off?”

 

Lucy smirked at him, “Wyatt…”

 

He nodded as he kissed her jaw, ‘C’mon, let’s just call in sick.”

 

Lucy leaned her head back as Wyatt kissed her neck, “Rufus would never forgive us, Wyatt.  Leaving him alone with Bam Bam?”

 

He inched his head away from her and raised his eyebrows, “Do you think I really care about Rufus or Bam Bam right now?”

 

“Wyatt.” she reprimanded. 

 

“C’mon, isn’t that why we have Bam Bam in the first place?  To fill in for us when we’re…benched?”

 

She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him, “Hmmm…you do have a point, except there’s two of us and only one of him.”  Wyatt shrugged as if he saw no problem with assigning Dave Baumgardner to double duty. “Bam Bam would obviously take your place, which means I would have to go….”

 

Wyatt scowled.  “Like hell you will.”  She gave him that look that he had come to know so well, telling him that there was no use in trying to argue, he wouldn’t win.  He hung his head in defeat as he cleared his throat and addressed their cab driver, “Change of plans…”

 

*****

 

After being dropped off at Mason Industries, Wyatt heaved in exasperation as he looked over at Lucy.  He never seemed to be able to catch a damn break. He finally had his head on straight, had admitted to being in love with the most amazing woman he had ever known, and fate stepped in to land him another cruel blow.  Lucy gave him a wan smile as she shrugged her shoulders at their unhappy circumstances.   She had looked stunning before in that little black dress, but now with kiss swollen lips and mussed hair, he thought she’d look a hell of a lot better out of it…that, however, was going to have to wait…thanks to Garcia Flynn.  Wyatt sighed as he reached out for her.  If he couldn’t go home with her tonight, at least, they would be together.  He pulled her close as they made their way towards the door, taking care to give her one last, long kiss before entering the building.

 

_Dammit._

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows at Jiya who was grinning from ear to ear as the couple approached; Lucy, with her arms wrapped around Wyatt’s waist, Wyatt with one arm slung over Lucy’s shoulder, both of them completely oblivious to the stares they were receiving as they made their way into the launch area.  “So, look who finally showed up…I’m guessing you two decided to do some celebrating on your own?” Rufus asked as they slowed to a stop in front of him. 

 

Lucy, peeling her gaze from Wyatt’s after noticing a touch of irritation in Rufus’s voice, apologized, “Oh, I’m sorry, Rufus!  We should have-“

 

“No, it’s fine.” He interrupted waving his hand at her.  “I only got shot…we were celebrating my not dying.  I just thought you guys would’ve at least stayed for the nachos.”

 

Wyatt turned to the pilot in exasperation, “Nachos?  Are you kidding me Rufus?  Were you at that table?”

 

“Fair point.” said Rufus simply, “But I’m the one” Jiya nudged him “we-we’re the ones who were left dealing with Bam Bam and his awkward questions after you ditched us. You could’ve at least clarified a few things with your old Delta Force buddy, there instead of leaving me and Jiya to clean up the mess you left.”

 

He pointed towards the back of the room and it was only then that Wyatt noticed Dave Baumgardner sitting casually on the corner of a desk chatting idly with an intern.  Noticing that the group was now looking at him, he sidled over with a self-assured grin stopping in front of Wyatt and Lucy. 

 

“Logan’s.” he nodded in greeting.

.      

“What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“I’m here for the mission, of course.”  He shrugged at Wyatt.  “You’re still on leave.  Don’t worry, I promise I won’t hit on your wife anymore.” he smiled as he winked at Lucy. 

 

Wyatt glared at Bam Bam before turning to Agent Christopher who had just approached them, “Ma’am, I know that I may still technically be on leave, but you can’t seriously think that after what happened in Boston, I’m going to let this asshole take my place?”

 

Bam Bam quirked his lip at Wyatt, “I deserved that.  But you have my word, I won’t even go near a bar...especially not after tonight.”

 

“You’re damn straight, you won’t even get near the damn time machine.”

 

“Gentleman!” Agent Christopher threw her head back in frustration, “Master Sergeant Logan, you _are_ technically still on leave” he made to argue, but she talked over him, “but I don’t give a damn who goes on this trip, just as long as we have a soldier.”

 

“What’s the mission?” Lucy asked. 

 

Agent Christopher opened up the folder in her hands, giving one last warning glance at the two Delta Force operatives who were elbowing each other out of the way. “Hmm… July 13, 1863,  New York City” she looked up at Lucy in expectation. 

 

As soon as Agent Christopher read off the date, however, Lucy gasped and sat down in the nearest chair. Everyone looked towards her with concern, but she looked only at Rufus, worry etched all over her face, “Oh my God…that’s the New York City Draft Riots.”

 

Rufus shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, “What are the New York City Draft Riots…and why are you looking at me like that when you say that?”

 

Lucy shook her head in shock and confusion, “What could he possibly be doing at the Draft Riots? she muttered to herself, her brow furrowed in concentration.

 

“Um…still don’t know what those are…or why you’re looking at me like this is gonna be a problem.”

 

She heaved a sigh as she looked down at her hands, clearly uneasy with the situation before them ,  “The New York City Draft Riots were a series of violent uprisings, mostly in Lower Manhattan…that um…started as protests against new conscription laws passed by Congress…to force men to join the Army for the Civil War.”  She bit her lip nervously, “First the protestors just attacked government and military buildings…limiting their violence towards anyone who tried to stop them. The police force wasn’t equipped to deal with such a large scale demonstration…I mean, we’re talking thousands of people…especially during that time…with the war and everything.”  She looked up at Rufus with pity as if begging forgiveness for something that was completely beyond her control. 

 

“Lucy…what the hell?  Don’t leave me hanging like this, should I be worried?”

 

Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “These riots started as a protest against the draft, but it was steeped in racism.  The Emancipation Proclamation had just come out in January and this was the first conscription effort.  Despite the stereotype, there was plenty of racism within the North as well as the South. Many people in New York City were angry about the Emancipation Proclamation, particularly Irish soldiers and other foreign workman – they believed freedmen were the competition for their jobs, you see.   They saw the Civil War as a means to preserve the Union, not to free the slaves.  So, being drafted meant that they would be forced to fight for emancipation…something they didn’t want.”

 

“And so…racist assholes took to the streets and attacked a few government buildings because they didn’t want to get drafted?” Wyatt asked with a shrug. 

 

“Initially…yes.  But, um…it escalated kind of quickly and became less of an all-out riot and more like” Lucy swallowed hard and gave Rufus an apologetic frown, “a lynch mob.” 

 

“Oh hell no!” shouted Rufus his eyes widening in fear, “There is no way, I’m going to be hobbling around on a wounded leg running from a bunch of damn lynch-happy racists!”  He shook his head violently as he limped over to Agent Christopher, “I say we let Flynn take out whoever the hell he wants to take out here…I mean, what’s one less racist jackass in the world, right?”

 

Agent Christopher was about to answer when Bam Bam snapped his fingers abruptly and yelled out, “Ripple effect!”  Everyone turned to stare at him as he pointed with a satisfied smirk at Wyatt and Lucy. “That’s what this is, isn’t it? Like you were telling me when we got back from that first mission together…how her sister disappeared.”

 

The entire lab seemed to be holding a breath as everyone, from the team, to the lab assistants, to even the janitors gaped at Bam Bam for his unusual interruption…particularly at such a tense moment in the mission briefing. 

 

“Dude, have you been thinking about that this entire time?”  Rufus asked with raised eyebrows.

 

“It just came to me.” He said, amazed.  “So, this is like some messed up alternate timeline, isn’t it?”  He looked around the room waiting for an answer that didn’t come.  “It is…I know it is.  This is so crazy.”  He pointed to Wyatt and Lucy.  “So, you guys really aren’t a couple then?” 

 

“What the hell do you think, Bam Bam?” asked Wyatt as he placed his hand on Lucy’s shoulder. 

 

“Well, technically speaking…I guess…but, I mean,” he flashed a wicked grin, “one timeline change and Lucy and _I_ could be -”

 

“You had better not finish that sentence.” Wyatt warned.

 

Bam Bam shrugged good naturedly, “I’m just saying…it could happen…I mean, she was engaged to that Noah guy, right?”

 

Agent Christopher interjected before Wyatt made good on his promise and really did kick Bam Bam’s ass. “If we’re quite finished theorizing over Lucy’s love life, then may I suggest we get back to the problem at hand?” Wyatt shot one last glare at Bam Bam before turning his attention to the Homeland Security Agent.  “As much as I sympathize, Mr. Carlin, there is no way I can sit idly by and let Garcia Flynn wreak havoc on the past, unchecked, unhindered. Under the circumstances and considering your injury, you may stay in the Life Boat while the rest of the team goes to stop Flynn.”

 

Rufus nodded enthusiastically in agreement, “So, we’re looking at what, a couple hours of laying low and then ‘whoosh’…we’re back in the present, right?”

 

Lucy gave another apologetic frown, “Um…”

 

Rufus’ eyes widened. “Lucy, what the hell?  Please do not tell me you’re going to have me sitting in a time machine waiting for you in the middle of a damn lynch mob, overnight!  I mean, seriously, why couldn’t they get out the damn riot gear and take these assholes out?”

 

“Because the police force was so over run there was really no one to stop the rioters until a regiment arrived fresh off the Battle of Gettysburg.  They got there as fast as they could when they got the orders.” Lucy explained sympathetically.  “It’s not like the police didn’t try…I mean, Police Superintendent John Kennedy was nearly beaten to death.  He had over 70 stab wounds.”  Rufus sat down shakily. “There were volunteer units that came out to help stop the violence, but even they were over run.  There just wasn’t a lot they could do…I’m so sorry.”

 

And she really was. Out of all the possible historic events Flynn could choose, this one seemed almost designed to break them. Rufus would be in absolute danger, that was not even debatable.  Scores of black men were beaten, clubbed, hung, and burned.  Businesses that were known to be friendly towards them were overrun by the mob and left in a state of ruin, either from arson or just plain vandalism.  Hell, the rioters even burned the Colored Orphan’s Asylum to the ground; children, they targeted children…233 of them to be exact.  It made Lucy’s stomach churn.   

 

Wyatt clenched his jaw, “So how long?”

 

“Four days…the arrival of the regiment from Gettysburg on the 16thpretty much disperses the mob.”

 

Rufus shook his head in agony, “No. No. No. No. No. No. No.  Are you telling me I’ve got to hide out in that tin can for four days!?”

 

“Well maybe not, Rufus. I mean, if we figure out what Flynn’s up to, maybe it won’t take so long.” Lucy appealed to him. 

 

“Uh-huh…like I’m going to place any bets on us finding out what Flynn is up to in the worst riot in American history.” Rufus said with a defeated scowl. 

 

Lucy’s face was still screwed up in concentration, “But why?  Why would he be going there?  It makes no sense...unless there’s a target, but who?  It seems like it wouldn’t be worth the risk.  I mean, this was not your everyday riot.  This was a battle….I mean, even the New York Times had a gatling gun to ward off the mob.”

 

“When has Flynn ever cared about risk?” muttered Wyatt. 

 

“Well, if you can’t figure that out in the next few minutes, I’m afraid you’ll have to figure that out on the ground - we can’t afford to lose any more time than we already have.” Lucy and Rufus made their way quickly to the locker rooms to change while Agent Christopher turned to Wyatt and Bam Bam, “I trust you two can be adults and sort this out on your own?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” said Wyatt. “It’s already settled.”  Wyatt gave Bam Bam a sidelong glance. “I’m going.”

 

“Very well.  I want you ready to go in 10 minutes, Master Sergeant Logan” Agent Christopher nodded stoically at the two of them, taking care to give them both reproving glares before she made her way back to the conference room. 

 

When Agent Christopher was safely behind the conference room door, Bam Bam looked over at Wyatt with a face full of consternation, “When did we settle that?”

 

“When you went out for a drink in the middle of the Boston Massacre” Bam Bam tried to argue, but Wyatt continued, “and when this became an overnight mission...like hell I’m going to be staying here and letting you spend the week in 1863 with my wife.”

 

“Touché,” Bam Bam quirked his lip, “Well, plenty of opportunity to go out again sometime, right?”

 

Wyatt started.  “What do you mean by that?”  

 

“Well, they have me on retainer for a year.  I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but maybe Homeland Security has got an issue with you and Lucy being married and working together…conflict of interest and all that.”  Bam Bam shrugged.  “But I swear, Wyatt…totally professional from here on out.  You know how much I admire you and well, Lucy she’s …she’s great. All kidding aside, I would never do anything to mess that up.” 

 

Wyatt nodded silently at Bam Bam, his brow furrowed in confusion as he made his way to the locker room to change.  The idea that Dave Baumgardner was under the impression that he would be replacing Wyatt on missions startled him.  Until suddenly he was remembering a comment made by Agent Christopher right before he read the mission debrief from 1770.  She had said that they “may be forced to use Bam Bam in the future” and that they were “stuck with him.”  But why? If being engaged to Lucy for almost a year in this timeline didn’t require one of them to step off the team, why now?  It bothered him that Bam Bam was given notice before he was even spoken to…but, he decided, it could be that other Wyatt had been told and they had just forgotten to mention it to this version of him.  Despite feeling a little uneasy about what felt like an underhanded move to kick him off the team, he decided he would wait to talk to Agent Christopher about it when they got back from their mission. 

 

Coming out of wardrobe just a few minutes later, Wyatt bent over double at the sight of Rufus who was in period dress, hobbling around with one roughly hewn crutch under his arm. “How’s it goin’ Tiny Tim?”

 

Rufus glared at him. “Very funny.” He sat down on the outer ring of the LifeBoat and hoisted himself up into the time machine, grunting, “I don’t know why I’ve got to wear this scratchy ass fabric and walk around with that tree branch shoved under my arm pit when I’m going to be camping out in this thing the entire time.  What’s the damn point?  Why can’t a brother just chillax in a hoodie?”

 

Wyatt scrambled up after him, “Better not let Lucy hear you say that.  Remember when she got all bent out of shape on our first mission because her bra wasn’t historically accurate?”

 

“No, can’t say that I remember that conversation, but it doesn’t surprise me that _you_ do.”

 

“You do, what?” said Lucy as she poked her head into the time machine.

 

“Nothing” said Rufus.  “Wyatt’s just talking about your underwear.”

 

Wyatt held out his hand to assist Lucy who was not only battling 15 pounds of fabric, but was also carrying a large satchel.  “What’s this about my underwear?” asked Lucy as she gathered up the folds of her dress and took a seat.

 

“Nothing,” said Wyatt with a smirk.  “Rufus, here just doesn’t remember that your bra saved him from a beating in 1937”

 

“Now that I _do_ remember.  So, if Lucy’s bra can save my ass in 1937, then why can’t I wear a damn hoodie in 1863?”

 

“Because,” Lucy said with irritation, “no one was supposed to see my bra.”

 

Wyatt winked at her as he helped her buckle her safety harness. “But aren’t you glad we did?”

 

She raised her eyebrows at him in return, “Hmmm…I think you saw a little more than my bra that day. Don’t think I didn’t see you.”

 

“Couldn’t help myself…ma’am.”  Wyatt said with a wicked grin.  “It’s not every day, a beautiful woman takes her shirt off right in front of me.”

 

“Okay,” Rufus intercepted as he closed the hatch of the LifeBoat. “I’m going to put the brakes on this conversation right now.  My back may be turned, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hear you.“ He turned slightly in his chair to look at both of them.  “Yeah, I’m here…third wheel, how ya doing?”

 

“Oh c’mon Rufus, you were in the next cell over.  You saw the same thing I saw.” Wyatt argued as Lucy absolutely flushed.

 

“If you are trying to get me to admit that I snuck a peek at a topless Lucy -  aka your wife, you are out of your damn mind. This LifeBoat is too small and too cramped to make that conversation anything but uncomfortable for me.”

 

“You?  What about _me_?” exclaimed Lucy.  “It’s not like I wanted to take off my bra…but it was that or let Flynn blow up the Hindenburg.”  Rufus cocked his eyebrow at her, “And to save you too, of course.”

 

“Thanks for taking one for the team, Lucy.” Wyatt shot her a wicked grin, “I can’t speak for Rufus, but I can tell you, I certainly appreciated it.

 

“So you admit it,” Lucy said triumphantly, “you _were_ looking.”

 

Before Wyatt had a chance to respond, Rufus interjected, “Stop!  Stop it, right now!  Look, I don’t mind you two ditching me, Jiya, and our plate of delicious nachos, I don’t even mind seeing you guys be the God-awful cutesy couple Jiya warned me about…because it’s about damn time…but if you two don’t stop talking right now, I’m going to have to leave your asses in 1863.  This is a G-rated time machine and I expect the two of you to exercise some damn self-control.”

 

Wyatt and Lucy both looked over at Rufus is shock, “Self-control?  Rufus, I’m Delta Force, I am trained in self-control.  Hell, I excel at self-control…believe me,” said Wyatt with an exasperated huff,  “I’ve been exercising self-control for a damned eternity”

 

Lucy and Rufus both turned and gave Wyatt doubtful stares.

 

“Look, it’s not me you have to worry about.” Wyatt maintained with a serious face. 

 

Lucy gave him a sharp look, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Admit it _ma’am_ , you’re the one who came on to me back there.” Wyatt professed in a voice of marked innocence as he clicked the last of his safety harness into place. 

 

“When?” said Lucy, affronted. “Just now?  You were the one talking about my bra.”

 

“No, I’m talking about earlier” said Wyatt, his face serious, “when you propositioned me out on the sidewalk.”

 

“Wha –That was not-” Lucy stammered before spitting out, “I didn’t see you complaining in the back of that cab.”

 

“Lalalalalalalalala,” said Rufus as he jammed his fingers in his ears, “I don’t need to hear this!   Dammit, you two…I mean it.  I will leave your asses in New York.”  He muttered to himself, “You’d think that a Stanford professor and a Delta Force operative would be a little more respectable…

 

We are respectable, Rufus,” said Wyatt with a wink, “we’re married.”

 

“Yeah, well married or not there is such a thing as too much information” Rufus exclaimed as he punched in the coordinates.  “Now, if you two can stop trying to psychologically scar me with your sex talk for more than two seconds, we can go….is that fine with you?”

 

“Yes, Rufus” they answered in unison.

 

With a whoosh, the LifeBoat left the present and materialized in the sun-drenched morning of July 13, 1863.  Wyatt hopped out first to assist Lucy, balking at the oppressiveness of the heat, “Damn, it’s already hot and it’s not even the middle of the day.” He made ready to catch Lucy as she made her precarious descent from the open hatch, her skirts causing more trouble than usual as she once again clutched a large satchel.

 

When she slipped and tumbled forward, Wyatt fell backwards with her and they both landed on the ground with an “oomph”.  For one brief moment they lay there, together, Lucy sprawled on top of Wyatt, their faces painfully close...his hands in places they most certainly should not be, considering their recent conversation about self-control.  Wyatt leaned in to give her a kiss, but one look at Rufus watching them from the open hatch had him, instead, scrambling out from underneath her. “I told you, Rufus.  She’s the one you have to watch.  I was just trying to be a gentleman.” 

 

Lucy rolled her eyes at him as he gave her a hand to help her up, noticing that she was still clutching the satchel she had brought along.  “What’s all this?” he asked.  “Are you going on a picnic?”

 

“Of sorts.”  Wyatt and Rufus looked at her in confusion as she straightened her skirts.  “Mason provided us some non-perishable food packets –“

 

“MRE’s” Wyatt corrected her. When she looked up at him in confusion, he clarified, “Made Ready to Eat…it’s what we call those things in the military.”

 

”Yes, those.  She opened the bag and handed four to Rufus as well as two large bottles of water.  “Oh, and before I forget,” she dug through the satchel and pulled out a brown paper bag. “Your pain medication and your antibiotics.”

 

“Thanks, Mom” Rufus quipped as Lucy shot him a derisive sneer.  “Alright you two,” called Rufus from inside the LifeBoat, “remember what I said…I don’t need anything bad happening to my two best friends because of some horror movie cliché.  I don’t want to be _that_ guy, but you’re on the clock…so act like it.”

 

Wyatt raised his hand in a mock salute, “You have my word, Rufus.  I’ll only think about she looks like under all of these layers.”

 

Lucy punched Wyatt in the arm and looked up at Rufus in real concern, “We’ll try to get back as soon as we can Rufus.  I don’t want to stay here any longer than I have to either.”  He nodded at her.  “Just stay safe, okay?”

 

“You too.” He said as she and Wyatt made their way towards Lower Manhattan.  


	17. Chapter 17

“Where to, ma’am?” asked Wyatt as they made their way out of Central Park. 

 

Lucy sighed heavily, “Well, the draft is supposed to begin right about now,” she said, checking her time piece, “but the Provost-Marshal delays the drawing because they anticipated some violence…they just never imagined it would get as bad as it does.” She stopped suddenly and took a steadying breath, nervously adjusting the folds of her skirts as she muttered, “I say we head there first, see if we can spot Flynn…and try to stay out of trouble.” She looked up at the street signs, “The Draft Office was on 3rdAvenue and 46thstreet, so” she motioned with her hand “this way.”

 

To say that Lucy was anxious about this mission, would be a gross understatement.  They would be one team member short, with Rufus back in the LifeBoat for his own safety leaving Wyatt and Lucy to try to find Flynn in the largest and most violent civil insurrection (besides the Civil War) in American History.  Anything could happen.  They could get separated, they could get caught up by the mob, they could get shot in one of the many firefights…how in the world were they supposed to find Flynn in this mess?  The riot was literally all over Lower Manhattan…pockets of violence everywhere…they might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

A haystack that was on fire and in the middle of a damn battlefield.   

 

While she was worried about their own well-being, however, she was mostly concerned about Rufus. “What if someone finds him, Wyatt? He has nothing for protection.” Lucy whispered as they made their way towards the East River. 

 

“He has that crutch.” Wyatt joked, but upon seeing Lucy’s evident irritation at his levity he reasoned with her, “Look, Lucy…he’s got the LifeBoat.  If anything bad were to happen, he could seal himself up in there…and if worse came to worse, he could leave us here and come back for us later.”  He nodded at her reassuringly, “It’s going to be okay.  Rufus is perfectly capable of making good decisions regarding his and our safety. I trust him.”

 

Lucy nodded back at him, a little more at ease than she was, but now fretting the prospect of being stuck in 1863 should the worst happen.  Still, she rationalized, that at least she was here with Wyatt…and not Bam Bam. Despite Dave Baumgardner’s assurances that he would do better, Lucy wasn’t quite ready to put her faith in him again, and even less so for a mission such as this.  She threaded her arm through Wyatt’s. “I’m glad you’re here.”

 

He patted her hand now crooked in his elbow as he gave her a soft smile, “Me too.” 

 

That was a lie…at least partially so.

 

Wyatt would have preferred that they would have just called in sick.  Being with Lucy, at home, preferably in a bed, in the present…especially without fifty damn layers of fabric between them…would be a far cry better than running around 1863 New York looking for Garcia Flynn.  Hell, he would take 1863 New York if he could have Lucy all to himself for just one damn hour away from the madness that was about to surround them. At least here there were no cell phones to interrupt them when things started getting interesting.  He chanced a glance at Lucy.  She looked lovely with her upswept hair, and dainty ringlets framing her face.  Her dress, though voluminous, complimented her figure and Wyatt was…well, he was sure having a hell of a time keeping focused on the task at hand with Lucy by his side. Every alley they passed, every darkened door frame they strolled by, seemed to issue an invitation; a place to do some not so G-rated things in a not so public place.  Lucy caught him eyeing her and smiled.  God, did he love it when she did that…especially when it was directed at him.  As they made their way past a series of well-proportioned and fancily fitted coaches, Wyatt suddenly had an overwhelming urge to…

 

Nope.  Garcia Flynn. Mission.

 

He tore his eyes away from Lucy’s face and once again scanned the streets in search of the man who had ruined his evening…he would love, now more than ever, to serve up some justice to that sonofabitch. He couldn’t wait a few more hours to jump? Couldn’t postpone his evil plans until the morning when there wouldn’t be quite so much…self-control to be maintained? They should’ve just called in sick, Wyatt thought bitterly.  But Lucy was right, no way would Agent Christopher allow them both to be absent from a mission and Rufus…Rufus would know the truth…and he would never forgive them for leaving him with Bam Bam while they were…otherwise engaged. 

 

When thinking of the alternative, however, Wyatt would rather be here with Lucy, than not.  The obvious reason being that if he were not here, Bam Bam would be…and there was no way in hell that would be preferable to him staying behind.   He wasn’t jealous of Dave Baumgardner, he knew Lucy would never even consider giving in to Bam Bam’s charms.  However, where Lucy’s safety was concerned, especially after Boston, it would be a cold day in Hell before Wyatt let his Delta Force buddy have the opportunity to put her in harm’s way again.   

 

It was then he suddenly remembered what Bam Bam had said about being on retainer and Homeland Security’s apparent objection to Lucy and Wyatt being on the team together.  If he couldn’t travel with Lucy, not only would he not be there to protect her, but something could happen, something could change. Not traveling together meant risking a new timeline, one that might find him or Lucy married or engaged to someone else. He grasped her hand at the thought, causing her to look up at him in concern, “Wyatt, what’s wrong?”

 

He hesitated, not wanting to concern her if his suppositions were wrong, but after this week, he had learned that it was better to discuss their fears rather than assume the worst. “It’s nothing…I mean, it _is_ something.  I just,…Homeland has Bam Bam on a retainer for a year and he thinks it’s because they’re thinking about replacing me…because we’re married.

 

Lucy couldn’t help herself, she laughed.  “What? Why would you think they’d be replacing _you_?  I mean, keeping Bam Bam on stand-by doesn’t necessarily mean anything.” She flushed. “He could be replacing any one of us.”  She bit her lip nervously, “Well, except Rufus.”

 

Wyatt shook his head dejectedly, “Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Lucy…but I’m the soldier here, if Bam Bam were replacing anybody it would be me.  For you, they’d have to get an historian.”

 

“Not necessarily, I mean, didn’t he replace me in your timeline?” 

 

“Yeah, but that was temporary.  You had the flu…and we were in a bind.  The only reason they called him in was because we needed someone who could speak French, he was available and he had already signed an NDA.  The next time he came along was just to give us a hand.”  He smiled at Lucy, “It’s not easy trying to fill your shoes, you know?”

 

“So I’ve been told.” she smiled back him.  They walked on together in relative silence for a while before Lucy continued, “If they did replace me, I mean, they wouldn’t necessarily need to get an historian…I could still be consulting from the side.  I mean, didn’t _other_ me help you out at all for your missions?”

 

“Well, yeah…she…I mean, you did.”  He laughed slightly as he remembered her researching  their Vegas trip in the throes of her illness…and then he was suddenly struck with the thought that that was the last time he had spoken with her in their previous timeline.  She had said “Goodnight” even though it was the middle of the day and he hadn’t corrected her…hell, he hadn’t even said good-bye.  He wasn’t sure why that bothered him now, but it did.  He shook his head to bring himself back to the here and now.  “You um…tried to help out as much as you could…because you didn’t want me taking over your job.” He scoffed, “As if I could even come close to doing that.”

 

Lucy was about to answer when they found themselves turning the corner onto 46thstreet facing a large and ever growing crowd.  She stiffened beside Wyatt and pulled him over to the side of a building, “It’s starting.” she pointed with a shaky hand towards the Provost Marshall’s Office about two blocks away.

 

From what Wyatt could see at a distance, there was about 500 or more people, armed with clubs, sticks and rocks.  They were packed around a large building, an anxious and clearly agitated crowd, with a dozen or so police officers standing guard outside the doors of the Draft Office. It was a tense scene, but Wyatt saw no evidence of any violence. Not yet, anyway.  “What the hell is happening, Lucy?”

 

“The draft is starting inside.” She whispered as they skirted down the other side of the street to get closer.  Positioning himself in front of Lucy, Wyatt inched his was down the next block, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of Garcia Flynn.  Just as they were nearing the Provost Marshall’s office, a fire wagon came barreling down Third Avenue.  Upon seeing the Black Joke No. 33 Volunteers, the crowd roared and cheered. Wyatt, encouraged by the sign of a large group of firemen, charged forward in an attempt to get closer to the Draft Office for a better view.  Lucy grabbed Wyatt’s arm and pulled him back, her voice desperate “No, Wyatt! Stop!”

 

He turned to her with confusion only to jump back in alarm at the sound of gunfire and breaking windows.  He shielded Lucy as he backed away watching, with horror, the scene unfolding before them.  The firemen were leading the charge into the building, busting through the door and breaking through the large ground floor windows. It was pandemonium.  Furniture, papers, even a vault was chucked out of the building and set on fire.  Before long, two very scared looking gentlemen were pulled out from the depths of the building trying to maintain some semblance of calm in the midst of all of the fury. Screams from overhead as black smoke poured from one of the far windows on the first floor, caused Wyatt to look up in alarm, “Holy shit, Lucy…there are women and children up there!”

 

Lucy frantic now, pulled Wyatt further away from the scene.  “I know...it’s going to get very bad here.”  He looked at her with raised eyebrows as if what they had just witnessed wasn’t bad enough, but just as he opened his mouth to argue with her, the crowd roared furiously causing Wyatt and Lucy to both turn their attention to the main door of the Draft office.  An official looking man had stepped out calling to the crowd to “be calm” informing them that the draft materials had been destroyed.  This did nothing to stop the mob, however, and soon they began beating the man with club and sticks.  Lucy watched in horror as he scrambled towards the already overwhelmed police officers, only to be beaten more ferociously by the enclosing horde.

 

She stood there, frozen to the spot, unable to move, unable to even breathe, paralyzed by fear and revulsion as the now bloodied draft officer cried out for help that would not and could not come. Wyatt grasped Lucy by the arm and pulled her towards a sheltered corner across the street from the Provost-Marshals office which was now engulfed in flames.  “How the hell are we supposed to find Flynn in all of this?” he breathed out helplessly. He looked towards Lucy who was pale and shaking.  He couldn’t leave her…he wouldn’t leave her, but he also wouldn’t be able to keep an eye out for Flynn staying hidden in a corner.  This whole scenario was making their job a hell of a lot harder…and Wyatt, once again wished that they had just called in sick.  Right now, with a massive mob, literally setting the town a blaze, their presence there seemed pretty damn useless.

 

As the crowd became larger and more violent, Wyatt backed Lucy further into the recess of the building, keeping her somewhat sheltered from the insanity erupting all around them. Before, he would have welcomed a chance to press close against her in a secluded spot, but now with all Hell breaking loose, he was just grateful that they had found a quasi-safe haven to keep her, at least, from harm.  Still scanning the mayhem filled street in front on him, Wyatt’s eyes fell upon a man who had just arrived on the scene.  He looked absolutely horrified at what he was witnessing, before a number of rowdy men descended, pummeling him and stabbing him repeatedly.  His cries for help seemed to rise above the din sending an icy chill down Wyatt’s spine.  Lucy retched, unable to stomach the scene unfolding before them.  Wyatt turned quickly towards her, breathing heavily, “Lucy, we can’t stay here.  They just attacked that man, out of nowhere.”  He swallowed hard.  “That could’ve been us.”

 

Lucy shook her head weakly, “No.” she gasped.  “I think that’s Superintendent Kennedy…of the police force.  The man I told you about at Mason…he tried to observe the riot in his plain clothes…but obviously, they recognized him.”

 

“You said he survives, right?”  He swallowed hard, “He’s the guy that had the 70 stab wounds?”  Wyatt craned his neck to peer through the massive crowd in search of Garcia Flynn.  “I mean, he wouldn’t be a target, would he?  Flynn wouldn’t be trying to make sure he dies for some reason?”

 

Lucy shook her head, sobbing, “I don’t think so.” She closed her eyes and placed her hands over her ears to muffle the sounds of the screams of those being beaten in the mob before them. 

 

Wyatt watched Lucy anxiously. They couldn’t stay here.  If Flynn had plans to kill anyone, Wyatt had no idea how he would even stop him in this rout.  From afar, he would never get a clean shot at Flynn…and going into the midst of this madness…with Lucy?  Not even an option.  He took her by the hand and ducked around pockets of angry rioters that seemed to be pouring onto the streets from every direction.  He ducked down a side street only to be faced a few blocks later with another massive mob and regiment of about 150-200 soldiers.  Great.  They had just left one deadly scene for another.  “I thought you said the regiment from Gettysburg doesn’t get here until Thursday?”

 

Lucy wiped her face nervously and leaned against a street lamp.  “They don’t.”  She looked at the grouping of soldiers and craned her neck to search the street signs. “Second avenue” she muttered.  “Oh my God, Wyatt, we need to get out of here.” She made a desperate move forward, only to have Wyatt pull her backwards just in time to avoid a careening wagon that had been overtaken by an angry horde, the horse whinnying madly as it rounded the corner in a panic.  She breathed heavily and slunk back against the wall clutching Wyatt’s arm in an attempt to center herself.  She gasped, “This is a volunteer unit…the 11thNew York…rounded up by Colonel O’Brien,” she lifted a shaking finger at the smartly uniformed soldier leading the charge. “This battle of Second Avenue is brutal…the regiment does a good job of clearing the streets for a while, but then, Colonel O’ Brien is overtaken and beaten to death over the course of an hour.”

 

Wyatt paled as he watched the regiment battling the pressing horde, the Colonel, he now knew who would be dead before the day was out, proudly commanding his troops.  “Jesus, Lucy…can’t we do something?”

 

Lucy shook her head, “People tried, they were beaten too.  Killed even.” She was crying and shaking again, “As if beating him weren’t enough, they take his body back to his home and mutilate him beyond recognition…just for extra insult.”

 

“Why?”  Wyatt breathed out. 

 

Lucy shrugged and gave a derisive snort, “Because he was Irish.  Most of the rioters here are Irish…they felt like it was the ultimate betrayal.  That fire engine company back there at the Draft Office?  Irish.  A few of their men were drafted over the weekend and they were angry.” 

 

“You think?”  asked Wyatt incredulously.  “Lucy, this isn’t angry…this is insanity.”  He pulled her close while he surveyed the area for a way out of the mess they were in.

 

“You have to understand something, Wyatt.” Lucy explained.  “This draft was like….like the Hunger Games.  If you had enough money you could buy your way out of it.  But for the poor, which these Irish were…there was no way out…add that to this idea that freedmen and blacks in general, were their competition for jobs…I mean, they were already struggling to provide for their families.  To them, this was about survival.  The Civil War suddenly became less about preserving the Union and more about freeing those whom they believed would cause them to struggle even more.”

 

Wyatt stared at her in disbelief, “Lucy, this is like another battle of the Civil War they’re fighting here…this is not a riot…this is a damn battleground full of racist assholes…and you’re defending them?

 

“I’m not trying to gloss over any of this” she said pointing to the mob, “but you’re right, this is beyond angry…these people were desperate and couple that with racism and a feeling of injustice and well, it made for a very dangerous situation.”

 

Just then the regiment fired on the mob that was advancing upon them causing Lucy and Wyatt to duck for cover.  Bloodied and wounded men fell in the streets, moaning in pain as the regiment pushed them further back.

 

Wyatt shielded Lucy as best as he could from the horrible sights and sounds around them while keeping an eye out for Flynn.  He had no idea how long they had been crouching there, witnessing the horrific scene, but it was clear, it was only getting worse. If this Colonel O’ Brien was about to get beaten to death, he sure as hell didn’t want to be around for that.  He turned and gave Lucy an appraising look. She was pale, sweaty and shaking. He cupped her face in his hands and gently brushed her cheeks with his thumbs.  “Lucy, I know this is a lot for us to take in here…this whole place is a freaking powder keg, but if we want to get out of here, we need to figure out where Flynn is and what he’s up to.”

 

Lucy, however, didn’t answer immediately.  She was shaking too violently and keeping her eyes averted from the street. After taking a few deep breaths she answered in a quavering voice,  “He could be anywhere, Wyatt.  I mean, this is just where it started.  There are uprisings all over the city.  Another mob tries to take over the Tribune and the NY Times. They hated Horace Greeley…the editor.”

 

“That’s today?  They attack the newspapers today?”

 

“Yes…I mean…I suppose he could be a target.  He runs for President and is defeated about 10 years from now…um, he led a coalition against Abraham Lincoln’s re-election, but once Lincoln won, he was a massive supporter…I mean….I really don’t know why, Wyatt.  I don’t know why Flynn is here.” she broke out in tears and Wyatt had never felt so helpless for her.  This was too damn much for even him to take, but for Lucy?  She wasn’t used to the horrors of war.  The Alamo had been rough, yes, but this…this was sheer brutality. He knew she was trying so hard to figure out Flynn’s plan so that they could get out of there quickly and safely…but with everything happening around them, how could she even think?    

 

Wyatt shushed her and hugged her close.  “It’s okay, Lucy…we’re gonna figure this out together, alright?  One step at a time.”  He surveyed the scene in front of them again.  If Flynn was here, there would be no way in hell to know.  Wyatt shook his head, “Where are the offices for the NY Times and the Tribune?”

 

Lucy frowned at him, “Nearly four miles that way…into Lower Manhattan.  Close to City Hall.”  Lucy shook her head in despair, “There are small pockets of gangs all the way down into Lower Manhattan, Wyatt.  This…this isn’t going to be a leisurely stroll down the street.  We’re not going to be able to escape this.”

 

“Let me worry about that Lucy.”  He grasped her by the arm and the two of them set off as quickly as they could down the street, every step taking them further from Rufus and deeper into the hornet’s nest of violence.

 

Wyatt opted to skirt around the main avenues and instead, take the smaller, quieter side streets to make their way down into Lower Manhattan.  Lucy had protested, claiming that they might miss seeing Flynn, but Wyatt was far more concerned with keeping her safe than finding that madman. For nearly two hours, they raced down the streets, taking cover when necessary as gangs of ruffians crossed their path, burning and looting their way through various businesses.  Wyatt and Lucy rested when they could, finally finding themselves on Newspaper Row in the dimming light of evening. 

 

It was a damn battleground. The sounds of a bustling city were replaced by the ear-splitting cracks of a rapid succession of bullets coupled with the angry roars of a massive mob.  Wyatt tucked Lucy close to him and skirted around to the back end of the crowd, ducking down every time a new round of bullets exploded into the air. Wyatt caught a glimpse of what looked like a group of 150 or so soldiers manning three Gatling guns, keeping the mob at bay.  “Holy shit, Lucy…how bad is a riot when the damn newspaper office has three Gatling guns?” From their position on the ground, Wyatt peered through the crowd in search of the one man who seemed to elude them at every turn…but nothing.    

 

Still nothing.

 

Damn that Garcia Flynn.

 

As another round of bullets fired into the crowd, Wyatt grabbed Lucy around the waist and took off running, “I’m getting you out of here.”  Wyatt muttered.  “C’mon Lucy, we need to get someplace safe.”

 

“But what about Flynn?” Lucy exclaimed.  “We came all the way here, left Rufus….we can’t just sit back and let him…”

 

“What?  Lucy, this whole damn town is literally going up in flames around us.” This was true, an entire city block was in flames just half a mile away.  They could see the orange haze just over the tops of the buildings before them and smell the smoke that filled the air.  Another barrage of bullets rang out and Wyatt held onto Lucy tighter as he urged her forward, “Screw Flynn.  We’re not gonna die here.” 

 

They made their way onto Broadway, advancing back towards Central Park, the sounds of gunfire still piercing the air, the screams of various mobs echoing through the night sky. They had maybe traversed a mile, when they came face to face with a lynch mob who already had a victim, strung up and prepared to burn.  Lucy gasped in horror as she saw black families running for their lives pursued by men with stones and clubs. 

 

She felt sick.

 

Very sick, in fact.

 

She was suddenly very hot and nauseous.  Without a word to Wyatt, she scrambled down the side of the nearby building and promptly vomited next to stack of crates.  She sunk down on her knees, shakily, wiping the tears and cold sweat from her face as she heard Wyatt’s frantic voice calling for her.  She managed to yell out “I’m here.” Before a very frazzled looking Wyatt came running towards her.

 

He knelt down beside her and gently cupped her face, “Are you okay?”  When Lucy nodded weakly, he pulled her close to him in a hug, and breathed out a shaky sigh “I thought I lost you.”

 

“I’m sorry” Lucy whispered, “I…I just couldn’t..” and then she was hit with another wave of nausea that had her ducking behind the crates again. 

 

When she had finished heaving, Wyatt pulled her close to him once more as they sat with their backs towards the side of the building…protected, at least, from the horrific sights unfolding out on the streets.  The sounds of screams, curses and clubs meeting their victims bodies, however, echoed all around them.  Lucy held her head in her hands, desperately trying to drown out the sounds of the nightmare unfolding all around them.  Wyatt, anxious for Lucy, rested his lips on the side of her head.  He had been in battle countless times before, he had witnessed unimaginable acts, but he had been trained for that…Lucy had not.  He had to give her something, anything else to focus on.  His mind was abuzz with past missions, shared memories, until he finally landed on something that he thought might be able to distract her enough, “You never finished telling the story of when Noah crashed our wedding.”

 

Lucy let out a hysteric laugh as her hands shook violently.  She tensed as she looked beyond Wyatt to see an even bigger crowd emerging and noted with horror, the tell-tale scent of smoke.  Wyatt gently turned her face back to him, “Don’t focus on them, focus on me….tell me, Lucy.  What happened at our wedding?”

 

Her eyes darted back and forth from Wyatt to the street beyond, as she took several steadying breaths and breathed out in a shaky voice, “My…my mother invited Noah.” Wyatt nodded at her, encouraging her to continue, “and he was about as gallant as you’d expect him to be considering…everything.”  More screams drew her attention away from Wyatt once more, “Maybe we should go, Wyatt…this really isn’t the time or place for this.” she started up, but Wyatt held her back, shaking his head. 

 

“It’s okay, Lucy. We’re going to be okay.”  She nodded at him shakily as he grasped her hand in his, “What did Noah do?”

 

Lucy shook her head as horrific yells and pleas for mercy reached her ears, tears falling freely down her face, “He um…he said some awful things about you.  That you weren’t good enough for me, that you would never be worthy of me…I have no idea why he would say anything so ridiculous.  He didn’t even know you.” She gave him a watery, sad smile. 

 

“He’s an asshole.” Wyatt smirked back at her.  “I’ve known that for a long time…even in my timeline.” 

 

This made Lucy laugh a bit and with relief, Wyatt could see her relaxing a bit more, “Well, he created quite the scene…but you” she smiled at him in a way that made him feel like he could walk on air, “you tried to talk with him, tried to show him that he was upsetting me…but he didn’t listen.”  She leaned down and put her head on Wyatt’s shoulder focusing on his warm steady breath as he hugged her close.  “I asked him to leave and he refused, telling me that he had been invited. When I tried to make my way back to you, he grabbed my arm and told me that we were “meant to be.”  That’s when you had had enough.  I didn’t even see you until Noah was sprawled out on the floor.”

 

Wyatt chuckled into her hair, “Are you telling me I actually got to punch that smarmy jack ass in the face?”

 

“Broke his nose, actually.” Lucy corrected.    

 

He couldn’t help it, he actually laughed out loud.  “Are you serious?  I broke your fake fiancé’s nose?”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, “Try to be a little less remorseful, Wyatt.”

 

“Lucy, I’ve wanted to lay out that smarmy jackass for a long time…you have to at least let me revel in it a little.”  He laid his head back on the wall behind him, his eyes closed as if trying to capture the mental picture of putting Noah’s nose literally and figuratively out of joint. “Dammit, I wish I could have seen it.”

 

“You did see it”, Lucy admonished.  “You were the one who did it…well, other you anyway.”  She sighed, “My mother was so angry – I’ve never seen her more upset.”

 

Well, that sealed it. If he had any hopes of somehow impressing Carol Preston, they were dashed to a million pieces…other him had seen to that.  “So, I’m guessing she doesn’t have us over for family dinner every week.” He asked with a shrug.

 

“No.” Lucy said shortly. “But it doesn’t matter, Wyatt.  I didn’t love Noah…I mean, he seemed like he was nice enough at first, but I can’t imagine why any version of me would enter into…let alone still be mixed up in an engagement with him.”

 

Wyatt, feeling a bit defensive of _his_ Lucy, argued, “That’s hardly being fair to your other self.” She stared back at him, perplexed,  “Think about it, Lucy. _You_ came home from 1962 engaged to me, the hard part was already done.  The you in my timeline?  She didn’t have that.  What she does have is a mother who wants her to make the “right” choices and –“

 

“And you?” Lucy asked tentatively, “Did you ever…I mean, did you ever think you and I could be-“

 

Wyatt swallowed hard. He had told Lucy that he loved her…and he did.  So why the hell was it so hard to admit that he had felt something for her in another timeline?  A timeline where she was engaged to a man she didn’t know?  A timeline in which the two of them had danced around that kiss in front of Bonnie and Clyde, claiming that it was just a role? 

 

 _Because maybe to his Lucy, it was_.

      

He shook his head as if to free himself from that doubtful notion.  This was his timeline now…and this Lucy was his wife.  Lucy, catching his hesitancy, apologized, “I’m sorry…I know things were different for you…and me…in your timeline.  I shouldn’t have…”

 

“No, it’s okay, Lucy. I…to be honest, I really don’t know how other you felt…I mean we never really…you were still engaged to Noah and with me…well, you know…there was Jessica.”  He felt so hollow saying it out loud…the reason that he had held back from his Lucy for so long…the reason he had almost lost what he had now.         

        

Lucy, still resting her head on Wyatt’s shoulder, sighed, “It must have been really hard for you, coming here and seeing that Jessica was alive and you were married to me.  We never really talked about it, did we?” Wyatt grunted in acknowledgment. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.  It must have been a lot to take in…all at once.”   

 

Wyatt wrapped his arm around her and held her close to him, hating that she was apologizing for anything that had transpired between them over the past week.  “You have nothing to be sorry for, Lucy.” he murmured.  After a while, Lucy’s head drooped slightly off of his shoulder and onto his chest.  The world may have been going to Hell around them, but here in this small, dirty, and dark alley, they found a semblance of peace.  How long they sat there together, Wyatt had no idea, but from Lucy’s steady breathing he could tell that she had nodded off to sleep.  Exhaustion from the heat and the exertion of the day overtaking her.  He allowed her to sleep…figuring that at least in that sense she could escape from the horrors around them.    

 

Thunder is what roused both Wyatt and Lucy from the tiny safe haven they carved out for themselves in that darkened alley.  Lucy lifted her head slowly and gave him a soft smile.  He brushed away tendrils of hair that had escaped the pins that Jiya had so meticulously placed.

“Sounds like we’re about to get wet, ma’am”

 

 Lucy nodded.  “Heavy rains won’t fall until around midnight.” She glanced at her time piece, “It looks like we still have about four hours before it really starts coming down.” 

 

He kissed her head, “It’s quieter out there now, we’ve got about a six-mile trek ahead of us…let’s try to make our way back to Rufus.  Okay?”

 

As the emerged from the alley, they were relieved to see that the lynch mob seemed to have moved on. Remembering that the Colored Orphan’s Asylum was supposed to have gone up in flames this evening, Lucy figured that many of them had made their way towards the scene of that crime.  She felt nauseous and weak, but she took Wyatt’s hand as they once again, set forth in the muggy heat.  

 

They were just approaching Madison Square when a group of young toughs shouted at them from across the street.  They were wielding clubs and knives and slowly stalking towards them.  Wyatt stiffened and pulled Lucy to his side. “What the hell do they want…you don’t think their Flynn’s do you?”

 

Lucy was trying to discern what they were yelling in their thick Irish accents, when she looked over at Wyatt and suddenly gasped, “Wyatt, run.”  He looked at her in confusion, but she was already pulling him along down the street as the thugs behind them roared and sprinted after them. 

 

They ran through Madison Square park and headed towards the Fifth Avenue Hotel.  At least there, they could find refuge.  A steady rain was already beginning to fall, causing them to splash through the puddles already forming on the ground.  Lucy felt the added weight of her water laden skirts hindering her movements as she strove to keep up with Wyatt.

 

As if anticipating their goal, the toughs cut them off before they could make it out of the park and so Wyatt whipped Lucy around and took off in the opposite direction, ducking behind a passing coach before slipping inside a livery stable for one of the businesses lining the Square. 

 

Wyatt readied his gun in case they were pursued, peering out of a crack in the stable door.  He watched as the gang paced the streets in front of the stable, searching for any sign of them.  Wyatt stayed by the door alert and ready, hardly daring to breathe as they passed by their hiding place.  Finally giving up, the ruffians took off to another corner of the square and Wyatt breathed out a sigh of relief, watching them until they were well out of sight.  “What the hell was that abo-“ he had begun to ask before turning to see Lucy stepping out of her now soaked dress and pressing a wet handkerchief to her face and neck.

 

He felt his mouth go slack. Sure, she was wearing more clothes even in her 19thcentury undergarments than she was on most of their missions, but dammit, he had promised Rufus he would only think about what she was wearing under all of those layers…and now here it was laid out before him.  If Lucy were trying to torture him, she was doing one hell of a job.  It was one thing to be stripped down to nothing but a corset and some pantaloons, but to be rain soaked and breathing heavily? Each rise and fall of her chest was mocking him, reminding him that they were “on the clock” and he should not be gawking at her like that. 

 

Lucy opened her eyes and startled as she saw Wyatt grinning wickedly at her, “What are you doing, Wyatt?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing.  This is definitely not keeping things G-rated, ma’am.” 

 

“I’m hot, Wyatt.” She scowled at him as he raised his eyebrows at her in agreement, “you know what I mean.” She sighed heavily as she laid herself down on a mound of hay.  “I just couldn’t be in all of those layers in this heat after running all of that way…I just need a minute.” 

 

Delta Force had given Wyatt every kind of resistance training imaginable.  Physical pain, psychological torture, physical exertion…but right now, with Lucy laid out in what might as well be the clichéd hayloft in her 19thcentury underwear had Wyatt thinking that self-control was pretty much overrated. 

 

He made a beeline for her, nearly leaping into the hay beside her, causing Lucy to flinch in surprise. “Wyatt, what on Earth are you do-“

 

But she couldn’t finish because Wyatt had silenced her with a passionate kiss, running his hands along her corseted waist.  She pulled away from him reluctantly, quirking her eyebrow at him, “Aren’t we on the clock?”

 

“I won’t tell if you won’t ma’am.” He muttered as he peppered kisses up and down her neck and across her chest. 

 

She giggled as she ran her finger through his hair, relishing in the thought that in the midst of all of this Hell they could carve out a special moment for themselves.  She pulled his face up to hers and offered up one long, passionate kiss before she was hit with an overwhelming wave of nausea. “I think I’m going to be sick” she muttered as she scrambled to a far corner and retched. 

 

Wyatt, feeling the massive blow to his ego, approached her tentatively as she violently dry heaved. “I didn’t think the kiss was that bad, ma’am.” he joked.  When she let out a weak chuckle and heaved again, Wyatt knelt down beside her and rubbed her back, “Lucy, are…are you okay?” 

 

Lucy gasped as she sank to her knees, shaking.  “The satchel…I need the satchel and some water.” 

 

Remembering suddenly that they had the picnic provided by Mason Industries, Wyatt flipped it open and led Lucy back over to the soft pile of hay.  Where she could lay back and rest.  Inside, there was a small flask of water and a couple pouches of MREs.  He handed her one as he took one for himself smiling softly, “Does this count as a date?”

 

Lucy lot out a chuckle, but she quickly scrambled to the corner once more the minute Wyatt ripped open his MRE packet.  “Lucy, what the-?  It’s not that bad.  Spaghetti and meatballs are one of the best MREs you can get.”

 

She heaved again at the mention of the cursed meal.  Why the hell didn’t she look to see what Mason Industries had given them?  _Tomato Sauce_ she muttered to herself as another wave of nausea had her sinking back down on her knees and retching into the corner.  Wyatt came rushing over to her side, but Lucy stopped him, “Please, Wyatt…if you love me at all, you’ll take that-” she retched again, “just please…get that away from me.”

 

Wyatt was laughing to himself thinking that Lucy was by far the biggest food snob he had ever met…which was rich, since he knew for a fact she couldn’t cook worth a damn.  But then, he reasoned, she could have picked up a stomach bug or something worse in all of their running around the city….it wasn’t exactly the most sanitary time in history, after all.               

 

He walked over to the other side of the stable and set down his uneaten MRE, before approaching her again. “Are you sick?  Do you think you picked something up here?”

 

Lucy shook her head weakly, “No.”  she wiped her mouth as she gasped out “there should be a small bag of pills in there for me. Could you get them?”

 

Wyatt rubbed her back and headed over to the satchel.  He pulled out a small brown paper bag with her name on it.  “What pills – I thought you weren’t sick?”

 

Lucy flushed, “My iron supplements and some Dramamine…for nausea.”

 

“Isn’t that what you take for motion sickness?”  Wyatt asked as she emptied the bag. 

 

“Yeah” she said with a small shrug, “why else do you think I don’t have as much trouble as you do on missions?  It’s…um…my little secret.”

 

Wyatt looked at her in amusement thinking of how she had had him fooled for so long, when this whole she had been downing pills to keep from being sick.  He was just about to return to his MRE when Lucy cursed and jumped to her feet in panic.  “What? What’s wrong?”

 

“These aren’t my pills” she sobbed.  She checked the bag…yup, her name was on it, but the pills were all Rufus’.  “The medical team put Rufus’ pills in my bag.” 

 

“Well, maybe that’s karma, Lucy.”  Wyatt said with a smirk, folding his arms across his chest, “for holding out on me all of this time.”  He shook his head, “I can’t believe you, how many times have you seen me sick on a mission and you never thought to share?”  Lucy frowned at him sheepishly, “That won’t work on me, ma’am.  No, you can point that pout somewhere else.    This…is payback.” He plopped down with a grin and returned to his Spaghetti and Meatballs at the far end of the livery. 

 

Lucy cringed as she looked away, fighting back another wave of nausea as she thought about his meal. She was kicking herself for being so careless as to not check the bags before she they had set off that morning.   The jig was up.  After threatening Jiya, pleading with Agent Christopher, and keeping herself well stocked on anti-nausea medicine, she had blown it all because she hadn’t checked the damn bags.  Sure, she could chock up the nausea to being overheated and maybe even blame it on a stomach bug…but she was pretty sure Rufus would be able to put two and two together when he opened up the bag of “his” pills to find her Pre-natal vitamins, Dramamine and Iron supplements instead of his antibiotics and painkillers. She looked at Wyatt helplessly. She needed to talk with him, she knew...but not in the middle of the New York Draft Riots and definitely not while he was eating something that just the thought of made her want to vomit. Besides, he had already dealt with so much coming into this timeline, he didn’t need yet another bombshell dropped on him just yet.

 

Lucy sipped some water and laid herself down on the small mound of hay again, willing her nausea to subside.  She needed to eat something, she knew that would help…but without Dramamine, she was afraid it would just come right back up…and then where would she be?  Every bout of sickness would just dehydrate her more than she probably already was and make her feel ten times worse than she already did.  “I just…I just need a minute and then we can go back to Rufus…I’ll be better when I can take something.” 

 

Wyatt finished his meal and took a drink of water.  He made his way over to Lucy and placed his hand on her forehead, “We have another three miles before we get to where Rufus is…and didn’t you say there was going to be a massive storm in the next” he glanced at his watch “two hours?  Lucy, you’re in no state to walk that far and I can try to get us a cab, but with the mob and the rain, I think we’re going to be hard-pressed to find so much as a horse to ride to Central Park.  No, I think we need to find a room and stay the night…make our way to Rufus  tomorrow.” She tried to protest, but Wyatt shushed her, “Lucy, it’s fine.  Hell, we’re both exhausted.  I don’t know about you but I didn’t get any sleep the night before…and we’ve been running all day.” He shook his head ruefully, “Why the hell did those guys come after us anyway, we weren’t doing anything.”

 

Lucy sighed as she laid her head back against the wall, “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Our clothes…they aren’t the clothes of the laboring classes.”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “So? What does that have to do with anything.”

 

“It’s war time, Wyatt. You’re a young, healthy male –“

 

“So why am I not in uniform?”  Wyatt finished for her.

 

Lucy nodded. “Exactly.  They consider you part of the problem…someone who bought their way out of service…which is laughable considering you are…who you are.”  Lucy sighed, “The sad thing is, the Governor was very much against the conscription but it was all so political.  In fact, Tammany Hall, which was already corrupt, becomes HUGE after the riots.  I mean, if there could be anyone considered a winner after all of this mess, it would be…” She gasped as realization dawned on her face, “Oh my God, That’s it…I mean, it could be.  He’s got Rittenhouse written all over him. Why didn’t I think of him before? ”

 

“Who?”  Wyatt asked. 

 

“Boss Tweed….and the rest of the Tammany Hall overlords.  Think of him as the worst kind of politician.  Buying votes, descending on the poor immigrants coming out of Ellis Island and promising them the moon as long as they voted a certain way. Tammany Hall is synonymous with corruption in the latter part of the 19thcentury and the draft riots really help that along. I mean, outwardly Boss Tweed and all of his slimy minions speak out against the riots, but behind the scenes they stroke the egos of the Irish voters, especially…telling them that they are on their side, they support them.  The corruption, though, under Boss Tweed is some of the worst the country will ever see. It was blatant.  He lines his pockets and the pockets of his friends with millions and millions of dollars while placing his people in positions of power…this goes on for years.”  

 

“Okay” said Wyatt…where will this Boss guy be?  I mean, if he’s the target he’s got to be hanging around here somewhere, right?”

 

Lucy nodded eagerly, “Yes” she said breathlessly, “tomorrow, the Governor, the Mayor and Boss Tweed will be at City Hall delivering a message to the rioters…basically saying they will delay the draft…hoping that that will help quell the violence for the time being…but we know it doesn’t stop until…”

 

“The 16th. Wyatt finished.  He paced back and forth thinking, “Lucy, if this guy is as bad as you say he is –“ Lucy shook her head at him, knowing exactly what he was aiming at.  “Lucy, if he’s that corrupt, why the hell would you want to keep him in a position where he can influence God knows how many people and events?"

 

Lucy raised her eyebrows at him, “Wyatt, that’s exactly why.  He influenced so many people and events in history…I have no idea what could happen if he suddenly wasn’t there.  I mean, sure there would be less Tammany Hall influence to stain our political history, but at what cost?  We don’t know!  Is that really something you would want to risk?  Coming back to a completely different reality?”

 

Wyatt bit his lip in frustration.  Lucy was right…he knew, he might not like it or even agree, but he trusted her. “Okay, Lucy…there’s a hotel right across the park there.  We can’t stay in a barn.  I’m going to try to get us a room.  We both need a good night’s sleep.“  She made to get up but immediately sat back down, clutching her stomach and her head.  Wyatt knelt next to her in concern.  The livery stable was relatively dark and Lucy was already perched in furthest and darkest corner, “There’s no use in you running around anymore than you have to, I’ll go and come right back for you.”  He bent over and gave her a soft kiss.  He found a blanket draped over one of the stalls, “If anyone should come in before I do, hide under this.  I shouldn’t be long.”

 

Lucy laid back down, grateful for the chance to rest for a little while longer.  “Be careful” she whispered as he brushed the hay from his pants. He winked at her as he turned towards the door and deftly slipped out into the rain.  It was coming down a little steadier now as he ran across the square to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, taking care to keep a close eye on the groups of obviously drunk rabble rousers shouting loudly on the corner. 

 

Wyatt entered the lobby which was richly appointed with lush green curtains and plush carpets.  It was definitely more than a step or two above a Holiday Inn, he thought to himself…but thanks to 21stcentury cost adjustments, a couple of time travelers working for one of the most celebrated billionaires in their century could easily afford a place like this in 1863 for one night. 

 

Wyatt was no good at 19thcentury rhetoric…that was Lucy’s department.  He did the best he could, trying to remember old Westerns and classic films he had watched as a kid to keep himself from slipping into any modern-day slang that might creep into his conversation with the desk clerk. The last thing he needed was to draw unwanted attention to himself.  He still had no idea where Garcia Flynn was hiding out, but if someone had come along asking questions, he didn’t want to give anyone any reason to remember him.  The Draft Riots were utmost on everyone’s mind and nerves were understandably high.  The elderly gentleman behind the desk had asked him extensive questions about his travels, his business in New York, he commented on the rain and the "dreadful riots"….and Wyatt did his best to be patient and kind…remembering that this was how things were done in these days.  When Wyatt finally obtained the desired room, he looked up at the clock behind the desk in horror.  It had been almost an hour since he had entered the hotel. 

 

Shit. 

 

Rushing back out in the rain, he bumped into a group of well to do men conversing under their umbrellas, pointing at some commotion going on further up the block.  He didn’t stop to apologize, he raced across the square, praying to God that she was not out of her mind with worry over what had taken him so damn long at the hotel.  He slipped inside the livery door and shook the rain out of his hair.  “Lucy, I’m sorry it took so long.  The old guy in there would not shut up…I’ve got a ro-“

 

He stopped short, panic mounting in his chest. 

 

Though Lucy’s dress was still hanging from the nail on the wall and the satchel they had brought was still lying beside the pallet of hay.  Lucy was nowhere in sight. 

 

“Lucy?!”  Wyatt yelled frantically.  He rushed to every corner, calling her name, shaking as he searched through piles of hay.

 

But it was no use.

 

Lucy was gone.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew boy. 
> 
> This was a LOOOOOOONG chapter...and I almost split it. But this really was how I intended to finish this one up (the chapter not the whole story) and so I hope you barreled through. I know this one was intense with the drama and the action/violence, and there was a lot of history thrown in, but I'm an historian and so you get to learn a few things while you read. ; ) This chapter required A LOT OF RESEARCH. I was reading NY Times articles from July 13/14 1863 to get the first hand accounts and locations down. I had studied the draft riots YEARS ago, but never this in-depth so I learned a few new things...Colonel O' Brien being one of them. His murder was one of the most shocking events of the riots....just for the sheer brutality of it...and I had never heard about it until now.
> 
> While I was doing such in-depth research I came across a little surprise which will present itself in the next chapter. I literally fell back laughing when I found it - wasn't even looking for it....I just opened another Primary source and BAM - there it was and I HAD to include it. It required me to change up the narrative to fit it in, so that was another reason this chapter took a little longer to put together. 
> 
> I'm hoping the addition will be worth it for you - I'm certainly excited for you to read the next chapter.  
> I hope you enjoyed this one. I know it was VERY long and not quite so fluffy...but I tried to put in little bonding moments for Wyatt and Lucy..because I just love those two and I love it when they work together. 
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading and being such great cheerleaders for this story. I appreciate it more than you know. 
> 
> I always look forward to your reviews...they really do inspire me to open up this laptop and type away.


	18. Chapter 18

_An hour earlier…_

 

“Be careful” Lucy muttered as she laid back down on the sweet, musty scented hay that was serving as cushion for her against the hard, cold dirt floor of the livery stable.   Wyatt offered her a wink and slipped through the door and out into the rainy night beyond. She knew he was well-trained and prepared for handling all types of combat situations, but she couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread watching him leave.  They had seen so many horrors that day, so many people, beaten and overwhelmed by a massive crowd…she closed her eyes and placed her handkerchief over her face, willing herself to remain calm.  “He’s going to be fine.” She whispered to herself. “He’ll be right back.”

 

Still, the nerves in her stomach would not subside…and the mounting anxiety only made her queasier. God, did she hate that feeling.  She took deep breaths in and out, focusing on inhaling and exhaling, mentally repeating to herself that Wyatt would be just fine and that there was no reason to worry.  It would do her no good to panic, after all…but how she wished Rufus, at least, were there with her and not hiding out in the LifeBoat.  Just having someone else to talk to and pass the time with while waiting for Wyatt to return would provide enough of a distraction to keep her mind from darker thoughts.  This musty old stable might be a safe haven from the hellish scenes outside, but being all alone, in a different century, in the middle of a war, gave her no sense of peace.  If anything should happen to Rufus, to Wyatt….both of them…what would she do?  She swallowed hard as she fought to shake off those thoughts – she could not let her fears overwhelm her.  _Wyatt…think about Wyatt_.   He had been her rock, her stay, her source of strength throughout this mission…his mere presence made her feel safe, secure, protected..which made her feel his absence all the more.  _How long has he been gone?_  The knot in her stomach tightened…she was beginning to panic.  _Focus, Lucy. Focus_   In and out she breathed, concentrating on the rise and fall of her chest, the steadying beat of her heart, the rhythmic fall of the rain outside.  She was so fixated on her breathing exercises that she didn’t hear the door of the livery stable open and she certainly didn’t hear the muffled footsteps that slowly approached her prostrate form.  It wasn’t until the hay shifted around her that she sensed the presence of anyone else in the barn.   She exhaled a sigh of relief as she lifted the handkerchief from her face, “Did you get us a room?” she muttered as she lifted her eyes to Wyatt’s.

 

Except it wasn’t Wyatt. 

 

Lucy’s voice caught in her throat as Karl, Flynn’s right hand man sneered down at her.  “Well, look what we have here…and all alone, too.” Lucy stared back at him in alarm, hardly able to move or breathe.  “You’re coming with me.” he snarled as he grabbed for her.  She scrambled backwards to get away from him, but her nausea and bout of sickness had left her shaky and weak…not to mention there was nowhere she could go as he had her literally cornered.  She clenched her eyes shut as Karl quickly gripped her wrists and yanked upwards, pulling her towards the open door. 

 

Weak and sick as she was, Lucy fought back as well as she could.  “I am not going anywhere with you.” She growled at him, digging her heels in the floor. 

 

At that, Karl turned to face her, grasped her arm ferociously, bent down and threw her over his shoulder.  Lucy groaned as a fresh wave of nausea overtook her...she couldn’t imagine how anything could be left in her stomach, but she was fairly certain that something was on its way up…and that something was about to be all over Karl’s back.  As if anticipating her next move, Karl, roughly tossed her into the cab of a rickety wagon he had procured, absolutely knocking the wind out of Lucy as she slammed into the wooden bed of the cart. She was so overcome by that action she made little objection when he threw a heavy blanket over her before he clambered onto the drivers bench and set them off at a steady pace.  The wagon bounced and rattled over the uneven streets and Lucy felt every bump and jolt in back of that horrid contraption.  She laid there, doubled over in agony as every movement had her stomach doing somersaults. 

 

When the wagon finally stopped, Lucy leaned over the side and emptied what little was left in her stomach.  The burn of bile in the back of her throat stung and left an acrid taste in her mouth. She had little time to recover herself, however, because almost as soon as she finished heaving, Karl dragged her out from the back of the cart and marched her into a grove of trees. “How did you find us?” she asked with a wavering voice.

 

“I was sent out to survey the area…make sure the Governor arrived.  I was just heading back to the Mothership to report to the boss when I saw that soldier of yours leaving the barn.”  He threw his shoulders back proudly.   “Thought I might investigate.”  He turned to smirk at her, “Boss said if I ran into you, I was to bring you directly to him.”

The fact that Garcia Flynn had ordered the kidnapping of Lucy should the opportunity arise, didn’t surprise her…not anymore.  After taking off with her once before in 1780, Lucy had a first-hand experience with that madman and his tactics.  He would use her as leverage to get information he wanted or attempt to manipulate her into helping him with whatever dastardly deed he had planned by appealing to her curiosity over the journal he possessed.  She didn’t particularly care what his reasons were this time, she wanted no part of it.  Lucy’s eyes darted around, desperate to get her bearings.  It looked like Central Park and if it was Central Park, then maybe she could break away and find Rufus.  Of course, what good would that do?  Rufus wasn’t armed…he was injured.  But at least, she reasoned, if she did find him, she wouldn’t be alone. Seeing her hesitation, Karl urged her forward with a rough hand on her back.   “You know, you don’t have to push me, I’m walking as fast as I can.” She gritted out angrily. 

 

“Keep moving” Karl spat out as he clutched her arm and began half dragging her down a darkened path. Lucy gasped in pain as he tightened his grip on her even more when she attempted to wrest her arm from his grasp. “You are hurting me.” She yelped loudly. 

  

“Then quit trying to escape.” Karl muttered back lazily. 

 

She took a steadying breath, desperately thinking of what Wyatt would do in a similar situation. She wasn’t Delta Force, she couldn’t pull off moves like he could…especially when she was barely keeping herself from sinking to the ground on her shaky knees.  With as much strength as she could muster, she yanked her arm free from Karl’s grip, turned, and slammed her knee into his groin with a shout, “Get your damn hands off of me!” 

 

He cursed at her as he doubled over in pain and Lucy breathed out a sigh of relief as she made to run away from him.  Karl, however, reached out with his hand and grabbed her ankle as she skirted past him, knocking her to the ground.  Her palms stung as they took the brunt of the fall, but she didn’t have time to nurse injuries.  She flipped over quickly and saw with rising dread that Karl was easing himself off of his knees. She scrambled backwards on her hands as he straightened fully in front of her, a look of murderous rage on his face. Lucy’s hand had just closed around a rock…her last line of defense, when Karl’s head suddenly jerked to the side and he fell to the ground, sprawled at her feet. 

 

Lucy stared at the unconscious figure of Flynn’s henchman, hardly believing what she was seeing. Obviously, someone had heard her cries and had come to help.  Frozen with shock, she tore her eyes away from Karl and allowed them to travel upward to the face of the person who had come to her rescue.  “Rufus!”  Lucy breathed out in relief, as she smiled at her friend who was clutching his roughly hewn crutch like a baseball bat. 

 

“What do you know?” He said with a slight shrug, this stupid tree branch came in useful after all. You okay, Lucy?”

 

“I am now.” She breathed out, wiping her muddy hands on her dirty pantaloons.

 

 Rufus helped her stand, pausing as he looked her up and down, “Um…Lucy…you’re in your underwear.”

 

“I realize that Rufus.” Lucy said dryly.

 

“Uh-huh…and didn’t I tell you two to keep things professional out here?” Lucy rolled her eyes as he barreled on, “I said, I didn’t want to be _that_ guy…that there is such a thing as a horror movie cliché…and you all were like “yes Rufus” he mimed as he shook his head in exasperation, “yeah, well, I hate to say I told you so Lucy, but I told you so!”

 

“Rufus!  This is not what it looks like, okay?  I was hot and I was sick and…I could really use my pills right now.”

 

Rufus pulled a bag out of his coat pocket, “Oh you mean these pills?”  He handed them to her with a knowing grin, “Yeah…about those…what’s cooking, Lucy?”

 

“Shut up, Rufus.” She snatched the bag of his hand and quickly opened her bottle of Dramamine. 

 

“I’m guessing Wyatt’s the father?”

 

Lucy swallowed her pill and glared at Rufus. “Of course he is…who else would it be?”  She rolled her eyes at him again as she shoved the pill bottle back in the bag.  “Bam Bam?” 

 

Rufus was about to respond when Karl began to groan.  Lucy gasped, “We need to get out of here, Rufus.  Wyatt is probably worried sick.”  She began racing towards the horse cart that Karl had used to get them there.

 

“Lucy!”  Rufus hissed, torn between returning to the LifeBoat or chasing after her.  “Lucy!” he called again, but she was already halfway back to the wagon.  One more groan from Karl had Rufus swallowing hard and trailing after her, looking around nervously, “Lucy, I’m not the expert here, but I’m pretty sure you can’t be walking around 1863 New York in your underwear…in the rain, no less.  I mean, I’m not trying to be a creeper, but dammit Lucy, you look like you’re vying for the title of some 19thcentury version of a wet t-shirt contest.” He frantically took off his coat and quickly draped it over her shoulders.  “Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be walking around with you in 1863, at night, alone, while your fully dressed…maybe you’re not aware, being the historian and all, but that’s like sending out an embossed invitation to beat my ass!” Lucy strode onward, doing her best not to listen to his anxiety-laden rant, slipping her arms into the sleeves of Rufus’ jacket and huffing, as he continued, “The fact that _you are_   currently running around in your underwear, being pursued by me?  A black man?  Hell, Lucy you might as well string me up right now.  I’m a dead man walking!”

 

Lucy finally stopped and looked at him with pleading eyes, “This rain is going to turn into a downpour in about an hour…the mob will be gone by then.  Wyatt wasn’t around when Karl nabbed me…he has no idea where I am. If you want to stay out here in the storm, go right ahead, but I need to go find Wyatt before he runs headlong into some murderous horde looking for me.”  She clambered into the horse cart, taking the reins.  “You don’t have to come along…but if you do, get in the back, there’s a blanket in there, just cover yourself up and you should be fine.”

 

Rufus stood next to the cart, looking up at Lucy, considering.  If Wyatt found out that Rufus had let Lucy go off by herself, alone, in her underwear in the middle of a riot when any number of bad things could happen to her, he would be dead.  There was no question.  Wyatt would most definitely kick his ass and then kill him.  If any one of the lynch happy racists caught him with Lucy in her underwear, they would most certainly kick his ass and then kill him. Either way, he was a dead man.  “I suppose I really don’t have a choice, do I?” Rufus asked Lucy weakly.  When she gave him a sad smile, he reluctantly clambered into the cart with a doubtful look on his face, “You sure you know how to drive this thing?”

 

Lucy stared at him blankly, “No….but, how hard can it be?  I mean…I can drive a stick shift.  How many people can do that?”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows at her as Lucy grabbed the reins.  “I’m a dead man.  I should’ve just stayed in the LifeBoat.” he muttered to himself, “Why the hell didn’t I just mind my own business?  Had to be the hero…should have just taken my potty break and gone right back to my time machine.”

 

Lucy ignored Rufus’ continued grumbles about his imminent death, hoping against all hope that his waxing dramatic wouldn’t actually become a reality.  She slapped the reins and they were off, Rufus cursing the suspension of the wagon cart as they barreled down the street.  The rain was coming down a little steadier now, but she kept up the pace, not wanting to get caught in a torrential downpour and definitely not wanting to be out and about while the lynch mobs were still operating. She could see evidence of the riots down the side streets they passed as she whipped the horse, willing him to go faster.

 

They were just nearing the hotel when a raucous group of seven rioters came seemingly from nowhere and swarmed their horse cart.  Lucy tried to urge the horse forward, but one of them had grabbed the animal by the bit and was slowing it to a stop.  The rest of the mob took one look at Lucy in her state of undress and reached up for her ravenously.  The overwhelming stench of alcohol and pipe smoke filled her nostrils as they clambered up onto the cart.  Desperately, she grasped Rufus’ crutch from the back and beat off several of the men until she once again regained control of the reins and urged the horse forward, sending the man holding the bit careening towards the sidewalk.  It was creating quite a scene, a number of people outside the hotel had stopped and were staring at the action unfolding before them, but the events of the day, coupled with the steady stream of rain, kept most onlookers at bay.  Lucy’s efforts had only earned her a few feet for before the wagon was once again overtaken, the small band of unruly men angrier and more violent than they had been the first time.  Before she could even let out a yell for help, she found herself gripped by several pairs of filthy hands, all of them yanking her downward off the cart. She screamed and kicked at them as they pulled her off of the wagon…her cries for help, thus far going unheeded.  She dared not call for Rufus because he would be in far more danger than she was...so she cried out the only name that mattered, “Wyatt!!!” 

 

A blow to her jaw sent her reeling down to the sidewalk and she watched in horror as they clambered onto the horse cart to rob it of any precious cargo.  She scrambled to her feet and fought against the ruffians who were holding her back, desperately clawing at them to keep them from taking off with Rufus.  Her efforts were in vain, however, because no sooner had she screamed out a “No!” then one of the men had pulled a terrified looking Rufus up by the shirt collar.  A roar of approval bellowed from their throats and it sent an icy chill down Lucy’s spine.  They were going to kill him…of that she had no doubt.  She cried out his name watching in terror as they threw him down on the sidewalk.  Rufus crawled over to a nearby lamp post,  cowering miserably under the steady fall of rain and the not so thinly veiled threats descending upon him by the disgusting mouths of the racist mob.  With a burst of adrenaline, Lucy rushed to his side, shielding him with her body.  “Don’t you dare touch him.” she gritted out.

 

They all laughed at her before one of the men picked her up by the throat, bringing her face dangerously close to his.  He snarled at her, his yellow teeth bared, as he whispered hoarsely, “We’ll touch who we like, lass.”  He flung her down onto the sidewalk in a heap, Lucy wincing in pain as she collided with the pavement.  She had no time to dwell on the ache that action caused in her neck and back, because the drunken mob was now laying their hands on Rufus.  Once more she scrambled to her feet, screaming out for Wyatt and making a mad rush for the horrid men now dragging Rufus further away from her.  She had just managed to claw at the back of one of Rufus’ abductors when a gun shot rang out.  Confused, yet relieved that someone must be coming to their aid, Lucy rushed forward past two of their attackers, in another attempt to get to Rufus only to find herself held back by a pair of gentle, but strong hands.  She struggled fruitlessly against her captor, her eyes focused on the cowering figure of her friend who was now completely surrounded by a horde of fighting men.  Sobbing, she sought to get back to him, struggling against whomever it was that was holding onto her arm.  “Please,” she begged, “I need to help Rufus, he’s my friend.”  She had just managed to yank her arm free when a gentle voice…a voice she recognized…a voice that made her freeze in her tracks, sounded in her ear, “We won’t let him get taken and I am determined not to see you get hurt.  Are _you_ alright, Miss?”    

 

She stood there speechless. No.  It couldn’t be.  What were the odds?  She made one quick glance over her shoulder before realizing with a jolt of panic that her supposition had been correct.  He couldn’t see her like this…oh God, he could NOT see her like this.  He would never forget it…how could you forget the woman you saved from a drunken mob while she was in her underwear?  Maybe that sort of thing happened in the 21stcentury all the time…and well, for the 21stcentury she was pretty much fully clothed, anyway.  But for the 19thcentury?  Lucy was fairly certain that that sort of the thing would tend to stand out in someone’s memory.  She was currently breaking every single rule of propriety.  To be out at night, virtually unaccompanied, in public, driving a horse cart, in the rain, in her underwear…and with Rufus, a black man, hiding in the back?  If she had actually lived in this day and age she would be ousted from any type of “good society,” written off as some brazen hussy, no matter the actual circumstances. There would be no salvaging her reputation.  Which is why Lucy was determined that her rescuer should not get a decent look at her face…Juliet Shakesman’s moral standing depended on it.  Doing everything she could to hide her profile from the concerned gaze of Robert Todd Lincoln, Lucy nodded curtly. 

 

Of all the people in the history of the United States, how on Earth could she keep running into the same man?   Fate. That’s what he had called it.  Fate.

 

 Lucy knew better.

 

The universe just had a sick and twisted sense of humor.

 

He stood there shielding her with an umbrella, holding her arm to keep her from rushing back into the fray and Lucy felt helpless.  Rufus was currently trying to fend himself off against two of the drunken men while the rest were being dealt with by Mr. Lincoln’s associates.  “Rufus!”  she screamed as a blow was delivered to his face that sent him flying backwards against the horse cart.  She was so focused on what was happening to Rufus that she almost didn’t hear her own name being cried above the din.  She gasped as her brain registered the sound of his voice, she wrenched her arm out of Robert Todd Lincoln’s grip once more as she screamed out, “Wyatt!!!  Wyatt!!!”

 

He was there in an instant, diving headlong to protect Rufus from the blows being delivered by one particularly large Irishman.  Robert Todd Lincoln, once again, took Lucy by the arm and pulled her away from the fight.  The combined efforts of Wyatt and the other men were enough to give Rufus a chance to clamber over to Lucy’s side. She clutched at him, gripping him like a lifeline, sobbing at the broken skin and obvious bruising now scarring his face. ”Are you okay?”

 

Rufus shook his head in the affirmative before looking over her shoulder to see who had come to their aid. His mouth dropped open in shock, “Um…Lucy?  Isnt’ that…”

 

“Just be quiet, Rufus…don’t say anything” she hissed.

 

“Yeah, but isn’t that…I mean….aren’t you –“

 

“Rufus, shut up!” she hissed again desperately.  

 

If Robert Todd Lincoln heard their exchange he gave no indication, he took off his cloak off and offered it to Lucy so that she could cover herself more fully.  She took it gratefully taking extra care to keep her head turned away from him, but muttered a simple “Thank you” in return for his kindness. 

 

“It is my pleasure, ma’am. I make no judgments on how you find yourself in this state, but I must say, after the events of this evening I am finding it increasingly difficult to be shocked by anything.  I do hope that you are unharmed?”  

 

Lucy was about to answer in the affirmative when Wyatt was suddenly there and wrapping her up in his arms, planting kisses to her face and hair. “Lucy, oh my God, what happened to you?” he held her back to examine her face and saw with horror the beginnings of a large bruise.  “Are you alright?” he breathed out.  As she nodded her head, he looked over at Rufus, “How did you get…- what the hell are you doing here?”

 

Robert Todd Lincoln cleared his throat, “If I may be so bold.  Your wife…I take it, was set upon by a drunken rabble…remnants of today’s unfortunate riots.  We saw them apprehend her horse and once they began attacking her, we, my friends and I, felt compelled to assist.”

 

Wyatt had hardly taken his eyes from Lucy’s face when he breathed out a “Thank you,” to the gentleman speaking to him.  A chance glance up, however, found him doing a double take, staring and gaping open-mouthed at the man he had seen just a week before, though technically six years from now.  “You…you’re -” Wyatt stood there darting his eyes from Robert Todd Lincoln to Lucy hardly believing what he was seeing.

 

“Robert Lincoln at your service, sir…and ma’am.” He bowed slightly to both of them.  Lucy continued to shield her face much to Wyatt and Rufus’ confusion.  “No thanks are necessary, I’m only glad we were able to keep her from more harm than what had already befallen her.”  Wyatt stared back at him in disbelief, once again darting his eyes to Lucy who absolutely refused to turn her head to face him.  Mr. Lincoln bowed to him slightly, “Do you have accommodations?  Someplace you are staying?”

 

That question brought Wyatt back to his senses, “Yeah…I mean, yes…we have a room over there at the Fifth Avenue Hotel.”  He gestured to the large building on the next block.

 

“Ah!  I’m staying there myself, though I am scheduled to leave tomorrow.  My father, you’ll understand, is quite anxious that I return to Washington.”  He smiled pleasantly at Wyatt, “Shall we make our way together?”

 

Wyatt looked back at Lucy who gave him an imperceptible nod of the head.  They set off together, Robert Todd Lincoln continuing to shield Lucy from the rain while Wyatt held onto her waist like his life depended on it. As they crossed the mud-filled street, Wyatt cleared his throat, “Um…thank you…for all of your help, I don’t even want to think what could have happened if you hadn’t stepped in.”

 

They were in front of the hotel now and Robert Todd Lincoln waved his hand at Wyatt good-naturedly. “Think no more of it.  It was indeed a pleasure, Mr…?”

 

“Oh…” said Wyatt as he looked once again at Lucy, “um…Shakes-“ but with a swift kick to his shin, Wyatt realized he needed to shift gears, “Ow…I mean, Sha..Seamus…Seamus Finnegan.” Rufus attempted to hide his snorted chuckle with a cough. 

 

“Oh,” said Robert Todd Lincoln with surprise, “you’re Irish?”

 

Wyatt flushed, “Um..yes…well, I’m an American first, sir.” He pointed in the direction of their recent altercation, “I don’t…um…follow that crowd.”

 

Robert Todd Lincoln laughed good-naturedly, “I should think not.  Well, Mr. Finnegan, Mrs. Finnegan” he bowed, “It was indeed, a great pleasure.” She made to remove the cloak he had so graciously given her, keeping her head bowed, but Robert Todd Lincoln once again proved to be a perfect gentleman. “I believe you are in greater need of that than I, Mrs. Finnegan.  Please, take it with my compliments. I hope that you won’t let this unhappy incident keep you from enjoying the rest of your stay. New York really is a lovely city, most of the time.” And with that he ushered them into the lobby and they parted ways. 

 

“Smooth, _Seamus Finnegan_.  You gonna do a magic trick for us too?” Rufus muttered with a smirk.

 

Wyatt glared at Rufus, “Don’t make me regret saving your ass…it was the first thing I could think of, okay?  What the hell happened back there anyway? How did you even get here?”

 

“You know I’d really love for us to catch you up on everything, Wyatt, but if you haven’t noticed, I’m standing here in my underwear!”  Lucy whispered harshly, clutching the cloak and jacket closer to her as hotel patrons whispered and stared. 

 

“Oh, right.”  Wyatt said, “C’mon let’s get to our room.”

 

They made their way into the elevator, and Rufus gasped in amazement. He looked around him like a kid in a candy store.  “Do you guys know what this is?”

 

“It’s an elevator, Rufus” said Wyatt sardonically

.

“Not just any elevator,” Rufus said pointedly “ _This_ is a vertical screw railway….it was the first passenger elevator ever designed.”  He looked around him, his love for engineering evident on his face.  Lucy beamed at him as he spun slowly around in wonder watching the long screw in the center twist slowly up as Wyatt and Lucy sat down on the seats lining the wall. Did you know it’s operated by a steam engine?” Rufus exclaimed in awe. 

 

Lucy nodded, “Yes, and this one was actually the first one ever installed in a hotel in the United States.”

 

“Does it still go up and down?” asked Wyatt.

 

Rufus looked at him confused, “Well, yeah.”

 

“Then it’s just an elevator.” He said shortly with a shrug. 

 

Rufus shot him a sardonic glare, “Oh, you can fan boy over Ian Fleming but I can’t get excited over a marvel of engineering?”

 

“I didn’t say that.” said Wyatt, “Fan boy all you want….it’ still just an elevator.”

 

They stepped off onto their floor with Rufus muttering the whole way down the hall about Wyatt being a killjoy…”wouldn’t know a scientific breakthrough if it bit him in the ass.”

 

Wyatt ignored him, but Lucy offered him up a sad smile and a shrug, mouthing behind Wyatt’s back, “I thought it was pretty cool.” 

 

As they entered their well-proportioned and richly furnished room, Rufus let out a low whistle.  “This is definitely better than sleeping in the LifeBoat.  How the hell did we afford a place like this?” 

 

“This is the 19thcentury Rufus.  Our money goes a lot further here than it does at home.” Wyatt winked.  It was a beautiful suite, richly furnished, with fanciful woodwork throughout the room and an ornate fireplace set in the far wall.  

 

Exhausted, Lucy plopped down on the sofa as Wyatt paced distractedly in front of the fireplace, “Okay let’s start at the beginning.  What the hell happened tonight?  Lucy, my God…you nearly gave me a heart attack.  Why didn’t you stay in that barn?”

 

“Believe me, Wyatt - tonight was no picnic for me either.  One of Flynn’s guys came along and nabbed me not long after you left to get the hotel room.” Wyatt’s eyes shot up quickly, his jaw clenched in rage as he thought about Flynn and his band of assholes taking off with Lucy once again. Lucy kicked off her shoes and muttered miserably, “I tried to get away, but he threw me in the back of that damn cart before I even knew what was happening.”

 

“Did he hurt you?” Wyatt asked with a grim face.  When she shook her head, he breathed out a sigh of relief and crossed over to her kneeling in front of her, “I should have never left you alone.  This is my fault. “He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head ruefully, “Hell, I’m no better than Bam Bam.  Lucy, I’m so sorry.”

 

“Wyatt, don’t you dare.” Lucy warned as she rested her hand on his cheek.  “It’s not your fault.  You were looking out for me.  I should have been paying attention.  I was just laying there in the hay waiting for you to come back…he didn’t even give me a chance to get dressed.”

 

“Uh-huh…that’s what I thought.”  Rufus interjected, pointing an accusing finger at Wyatt, “You told me you were only going to think about what she looked like in her underwear.  So, what?  Took a little break from chasing Flynn, did we?  Decided to Netflix and chill, 19thcentury style?”  Wyatt stood up, affronted as Rufus barreled on., “And you” he pointed at Lucy, “well, let me just say I’m surprised at you.  I half expected it from Delta Force, here but not from Stanford.”

 

Wyatt’s mouth dropped open in indignation, “You’ve got it all wrong, Rufus.  We got chased into that damn barn…we were hiding out.  She’s the one who stripped down...”

 

“I was hot, okay!? Lucy gritted out in frustration., glowering at Rufus and his doubtful smirk.  “Besides, _nothing_ happened, alright?” She shot a sideways glance at Wyatt who gave her a small smile. “We had just run all over Lower Manhattan, my dress was soaked and…I got sick.”

 

Wyatt laughed, “Yeah, Mason’s MRE’s weren’t good enough for the food critic here…I’ve never seen someone lose it over spaghetti and meatballs…seriously Lucy, I know they aren’t high-end Italian, but they aren’t that bad.”

 

Lucy covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to conceal the involuntarily gag that issued forth at the sound of those cursed words and the memory of the God-awful stench of tomato sauce.

 

This, incidentally, was not missed by Rufus who raised his eyebrows in amusement, “You don’t say.  Well, you know that can happen when you’re…hot and tired…it’s almost like a condition.”

 

Lucy shot Rufus a murderous glare as Wyatt, ignorant of that silent exchange, chuckled to himself, “Do you know, Rufus, that Lucy has been secretly taking Dramamine for motion sickness? It’s why she never gets sick on our trips.  Can you believe that we have traveled together all this time and she has never once offered me one…or you, for that matter.  How many times has she seen me doubled over after a jump?  I mean, what the hell, Lucy?”

 

Rufus turned to her not attempting to conceal the shit-eating grin on his face, “Yeah, Lucy – what the hell?  You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

 

Again, Lucy shot daggers at Rufus before Wyatt continued, “Yup.  That’s why I don’t feel sorry for her.  Don’t you feel sorry for her either, Rufus.  This was karma.  Pure and simple.”

 

“Oh, it was something alright.” muttered Rufus as Lucy reached out and punched him in the arm. 

 

“Fine.  You saw me get sick.  Congratulations.” Lucy spat out, desperate to change the subject.  With a scowl at Rufus, she hissed, “You know, you could be outside in this storm right now sleeping in the dank old LifeBoat.  I think you had better remember that.”

 

Wyatt turned to look at their friend, “Yeah no offense, but what the hell are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were supposed to be hiding out?”

 

“Yeah, sorry to put a damper on what I’m sure was a completely professional and not at all inappropriate game of strip poker, but in my defense, I was just taking a potty break before I got dragged along on the worst buggy ride of my life by a half-naked Lucy.”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, “Don’t forget the part where you saved me from Karl, Rufus…if you really didn’t want to come along, you could’ve just stayed behind with him. I’m sure he would have overlooked the nice bump on the head you gave him.”

 

Wyatt looked back at him, impressed.  “You knocked out one of Flynn’s guys?  Rufus, you’re a badass.” 

 

Rufus jerked his head back in amazement, “Yeah, I guess I am.”  He smiled to himself as Wyatt crouched down once more in front of Lucy, tracing the emerging bruise on her jaw with his thumb, “I thought you said that Karl didn’t hurt you?”

 

“He didn’t.” she said with a a shake of her head, “This is a souvenir from that same gang of ruffians you pulled off of Rufus.  They swarmed us just as we got close to the hotel.” 

 

Rufus chuckled, “Yeah, good thing your boyfriend was there, _Juliet_.  That’s like what, your third date? And he even got to see you in your underwear, that’s like halfway to married in the 19 thcentury.”

 

“Try _actually_ married, Rufus.  Why do you think I couldn’t let him see my face?”

 

“Because he would recognize you and want to help us even more?” Rufus suggested with a shrug.

 

“No!” Lucy cried out in frustration.  “Rufus, this is 1863, _Juliet Shakesman_ doesn’t meet Robert Todd Lincoln until 1865. Do you honestly think in this day and age that he, the President’s _son,_ would ask the half-naked woman he saved during the New York City Draft Riots out on a date…especially when he knows she’s married to…Seamus Finnegan!?”

 

Rufus and Wyatt looked at each other and shrugged. 

 

“Speaking as a man,” Rufus admitted, “I don’t think he would mind asking Juliet Shakesman or Lucy Finnegan, for that matter, on a date after taking a peek at her in her undies.”  He raised his hands in a slight shrug, “If anything, I’d say it would make him more, _not less_ interested.”  

 

Wyatt stood up and turned towards his friend with raised eyebrows, “Oh really, Rufus?”  He gave him a hardened stare as he crossed his arms over his chest, “Why is that, exactly?”  

 

Rufus’ eyes widened in alarm, “Well, c’mon Wyatt…you’re a guy.” 

 

“That’s right….and a master of self-control.”

 

Rufus’ mouth hung open in shock, “Look, I’m not saying I would ask her out…it’s not that I wouldn’t…I mean, she looks fine.” Wyatt tilted his head towards him ominously, “Um...no, that’s not what I meant...I’m just saying that as a man, seeing a woman in her underwear would, _in general_ , make us want to-“

 

Wyatt raised his eyebrows at him again, “Go on, Rufus…tell me.  What is seeing my wife in her underwear make you want to do?”

 

Rufus stared helplessly at Wyatt and then again at Lucy, wishing to hell he was back in the Lifeboat…massive rainstorm and lynchers be damned.  Mustering up what little courage he had left, he stuttered, “I - I gave her my jacket, you know” he pointed towards Lucy, but kept his eyes oddly diverted, “so she wouldn’t be too exposed.  Just trying to keep your wife safe and respectable in the 19thcentury…that’s me.”  He backed slightly away into the corner, nervously fidgeting.  “I wasn’t…I mean, I wouldn’t hit on Lucy, Wyatt…not that I don’t think she’s cute…”he added as Wyatt glared at him.  “I have a girlfriend. Jiya.  So….ya know…I wouldn’t…I didn’t…I’m just going to be quiet now.” He bent his head down in shame, and muttered, “Please don’t kick my ass, Wyatt.”

 

Satisfied with thoroughly paying Rufus back for the prudish lecture he gave them on their trip to 1863, Wyatt bit back a smirk as he turned once more to Lucy. “So, Flynn’s guys nabbed you?  After all that running around we did today?  How in the hell did they find you?”

 

Lucy shrugged, “Karl said he was just doing reconnaissance when he saw you leave the livery stable, so he came in to check things out….and found me.”

 

“So, _it is_ my fault.” Wyatt cursed at himself.

 

Lucy tilted her head at him, frowning, “Don’t do that, Wyatt.  I’m fine.  Rufus is fine.  We’re all together and safe.   

  

“Actually,” said Rufus raising his hand weakly into the air, “I’m not fine…I never did get to have my potty break.”

 

Wyatt stared at him in amused disbelief, “Do you need our permission?”

 

“No…I was just excusing myself…you know me, always the perfect gentleman” He began walking sheepishly to the door of their room, before Wyatt stopped him.

 

“Where are you going, Rufus?”

 

“To the bathroom, Wyatt…I thought I made that clear?”

 

Wyatt smirked at him and opened a door to what Rufus had previously thought was a closet, “C’mon Rufus, you really think the most technologically advanced hotel in the 19thcentury wouldn’t have private bathrooms?”

 

Lucy stood up and stared at him in astonishment, “How did you know that?”

 

Wyatt smirked, “The desk clerk.   He was very thorough.  That elevator thing?  Yeah, he told me all about that too.” 

 

“So, you were in impressed?” asked Rufus expectantly.

 

Wyatt shrugged, “It’s an elevator.”  He held his hand out to Rufus stoically, “For what it’s worth, thanks for keeping Lucy safe back there.  I really appreciate it, man.”

 

Rufus nodded in return, “Well, thank you for saving my ass” he looked at the two of them guiltily, “”and look, I’m sorry I assumed…I mean, I know I give you crap, but you two do take these missions seriously…I shouldn’t have…I’m just gonna go to the bathroom now.”

 

Rufus passed by Wyatt who continued to eye him with a mixture of amusement and admonishment…maintaining a no-nonsense persona for the pilot who had cautioned them so thoroughly during the jump about the importance of self-control.  Once the bathroom door was closed, however, Wyatt crossed the room in one giant step, swept Lucy up in his arms and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss of wild desperation.  Taken completely off-guard she stumbled a little towards him as he pulled her closer. His hand raked along the laces of her corset and Wyatt groaned as she found her footing and pressed herself against him. He spun her around in one deft move, until her back was flush against the wall.  He pulled away, both of them gasping for air when his eyes twinkled in a wicked grin, “You’re not going to throw up on me again, are you?”

 

Lucy giggled as she bit her lip and shook her head, “No…I’m all better now.”

 

Wyatt arched his eyebrow, “Yeah?”

 

Lucy nodded, “Yeah” she leaned forward and ghosted her nose over his lips, finally capturing them with her own, before murmuring, “I don’t think Rufus will approve of this behavior, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt smirked as he planted kisses on her neck and jaw, “I think you’re right, ma’am.” He murmured against her skin, “So, I’m just gonna take what I can get before our chaperone comes back.”

 

Lucy glanced over Wyatt’s shoulder towards the bathroom door, “We probably need to discuss sleeping arrangements.”

 

Wyatt nibbled lightly on her ear and murmured, “I agree. I don’t think all of three of us can fit on the bed in the next room…granted, I haven’t seen it, but based on my experience in time travel, it’s probably not a king size.”

 

Lucy hummed against his mouth, “I think you’re probably right, I suppose you and Rufus could always bunk together and I could take the couch.”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of doing that to you, ma’am.” Wyatt muttered against her jaw. “A lady should not be delegated to the couch…and I think Rufus would agree with me on that.”

 

Lucy nodded her head, “I think you’re right, because he’s a perfect gentleman.”  She bit her lip as Wyatt slowly kissed her neck and collarbone.  “And after everything we’ve been through today, he would hardly expect you to take the floor.”

 

Wyatt grunted in agreement. “No, ma’am, he wouldn’t.” 

 

Lucy smirked at him, “But it’s hardly fair for Rufus to have to sleep on the floor either…after all, he did come to my rescue out there.”

 

Wyatt frowned thoughtfully and shook his head, “You’re absolutely right, Rufus deserves the couch” he sighed heavily, “So that just leaves me...”

 

Lucy ran her fingers along Wyatt’s jaw as he tilted his forehead to meet hers, “Whatever shall we do with you?.”

 

“I can think of one or two things.” he said with a wicked grin.  He captured Lucy’s lips in his and hoisted her hips up until her legs wrapped around his waist.  Stumbling blindly towards the bedroom door, anticipation building with every passing second, he had just managed to find the doorknob when the bathroom door opened behind them causing them to break out of their kiss with breathless surprise. 

 

Rufus stood frozen in astonishment as he stared at the two of them, “Um…seriously…didn’t we _just_ have a conversation about self-control?  What happened to all that Delta Force training?

 

Not missing a beat, not even flushing at the insinuation of being essentially caught with his pants down, Wyatt turned his head to look at Rufus stoically.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rufus.  Lucy and I are going to be debriefing.” Lucy dipped her head into Wyatt’s neck, stifling a fit of giggles. “We are still on the clock after all and given everything that just happened today, we have a lot of after action reports to make…it was a pretty rough mission so…definitely not G-rated stuff…probably best if you stay out here.”  He disappeared through the door only to reappear a half a moment later tossing a pillow and a blanket in Rufus’ direction, “Don’t wait up.” And with that he slammed the door shut leaving Rufus standing in the middle of the sitting room staring helplessly at the bedroom door.

 

“Oh sure guys, no problem…I’ll just be here…getting psychologically scarred for life.”

 

He sat down on the ornate sofa and pulled off his shoes and sighed deeply as he picked up the pillow and the blanket from the floor where Wyatt had so carelessly thrown them.

 

Rufus laid himself down on the couch and punched his pillow miserably, as the sounds of giggles and soft moans filtered out from the next room. “Debriefing, my ass.” he muttered as he clenched the pillow over his head, praying to God he would fall asleep before the “after action reports” began.          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Return of Robert Todd Lincoln. GUYS....this was the surprise that had me ROLLING when I was doing my research. I came across a letter written by Abraham Lincoln addressed to his son...who was staying at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York. He hadn't heard from him that Monday and he was VERY concerned...for obvious reasons, but it was discovered on Tuesday, the 14th that he had left New York and was headed back to Washington. When I saw that, I HAD to put it in here...I just HAD to....it was too crazy a coincidence to pass up. 
> 
> I hope the surprise was as fun for you as it was for me. 
> 
> As for the Fifth Avenue Hotel...it's demolished now which I think is a travesty. It was the first hotel in the US to have a passenger elevator and it did have private bathrooms in the guest rooms...definitely a "modern" 19th century hotel. 
> 
> Thank you again for reading and again, reviews are life.


	19. Chapter 19

For five long years Wyatt had suffered through nightly bouts of wakefulness in which he relived some of the worst moments of his life.  The fight at the Pelican Lounge, the screeching of his tires as his truck sped away leaving Jessica fuming on the side of that lonely highway, the overwhelming sense of dread and panic that filled him after he begrudgingly went back to get her and found that she was missing, the crushing blow of seeing her body laid out on the morgue table and realizing that it was all his fault.  Night after night these memories haunted him and night after night he would find solace in a tumbler of whiskey.  If he had managed to fall asleep without the help of alcohol, it never lasted.   Drowning his guilt in the amber liquid was the only way he could quiet the demons of his mind which seemed determined to never let him forget.  He figured, sullenly, that it was part of his penance…a self-inflicted punishment.  Not only had he told himself that he could never love anyone else again, he firmly believed that each and every nightmare was a well-deserved kick in the ass for being no better than the world-class sonofabitch his father was. 

 

That is until Lucy Preston tumbled into his life.   

 

Wyatt blinked his eyes against the warm summer rays that were flooding through the window of their 19thcentury haven.  Lucy was wrapped around him, her head resting on his chest, her arms draped over his torso and he felt something he hadn’t felt in the 1,907 days since Jessica’s death…well, what _had been_ her death anyway. 

 

Contentment. Peace.  Home. 

 

He lifted his head slightly to smile at the mass of brown silken curls obstructing his vision. Lucy most definitely was his home, no matter the century they found themselves in, where she was, he wanted to be. He didn’t think it was possible to love her any more than he had but once again, she had proved him wrong.  She had remade him into an entirely different person than he had been before he met her.  Growing up a poor kid in rural West Texas, he had never imagined that anyone like Lucy would see in him anything to love.  After Jessica’s death, he was even more certain that no one could see him as anything else but a man who had screwed up the best thing that had ever happened to him; the man who was responsible for his wife’s death because he had been a hot-headed jackass.  So, what else could he do but cut himself off from love and relationships?  To get attached, to get sentimental about people or things?  Hell no. The pain of losing them was far too much.  If it wasn’t Jessica, it was his team…so he was determined to focus solely on the mission. It was what made him one of the best; he took risks no one else would.  He no longer cared if he lived or died because there was no one left alive who would mourn him if he had died, or at the very least, worry over him if he was injured. Dave Baumgardner might have been his best friend in Delta Force, but even between them, they understood, that it was the mission, above all else.  If he felt lonely, if the memories of what he had lost had crept into his subconscious, they were quickly washed away with a swig of whiskey.  That was his life before Lucy...before she saved him.

 

Somehow, she had reached in and filled up the dark void that had made up his existence since Jessica’s death.  Her kindness, her warmth, her almost innate desire to help others, had irritated the hell out of him…at first.  He couldn’t pinpoint the where or the when the irritation gave way to admiration…but somehow along the way, it had.  It made such an impression on Wyatt…had drawn him to her so much, that she became an integral part of him.  For the first time, he actually looked forward to missions, not because of the danger they posed, but for the company of the people around him.  Lucy and Rufus had become more than his team, they had become his family.  While he would always be grateful to Rufus for pulling a bullet out of his gut and putting his neck literally on the line for him, it was Lucy who had battered down his tough exterior and gave him a new sense of self-worth.  She had the uncanny ability to reach him when no one else could. That PTSD episode at the Alamo? He still wasn’t sure what it was about her that had snapped him to attention.  Her hands on his face, her pleading eyes, had somehow awoken him from what felt like a very long, deep sleep.  He mattered to someone.  Not because he was a soldier…hell, they had Bam Bam waiting in the wings …no, it was _him_.  She trusted _him_.  She needed _him_.  She didn’t want _anybody_ else.  For the first time in a long time, someone cared and Wyatt was overwhelmed by the force of it. 

 

Life suddenly meant something… _she_ meant something.  He hadn’t been quite sure at the time what that something was, but it was enough to make him start caring again.  Maybe it was the time travel that had given them that level of understanding that no one else, besides Rufus, could share.  Maybe it was something far more ethereal.  He had never quite believed in the concept of soul mates, but there was just something about Lucy that drew him to her like a moth to flame. He had found her irresistible…in not one, but two timelines…and Wyatt was pretty damn sure that if he had an infinite number of alternate universes to live through, he would be in love with Lucy in every single one of them.  The thought of living a life without her in it seemed completely and utterly impossible.

 

The clock on the mantel piece in their 19thcentury bedroom suite chimed 9AM and Wyatt begrudgingly shifted away from Lucy, knowing that there was no use delaying the inevitable, they still had a mission ahead of them.  At least, now, they had a lead.  If Flynn was going to be at City Hall to disrupt that speech and kill that Rittenhouse sonofabitch, he and Lucy would be there to stop him. 

 

But first they needed breakfast…and seeing as Rufus couldn’t safely go out and Lucy didn’t have any clothes, that task was left to Wyatt.

 

But it was proving nearly impossible to pry himself from Lucy’s side.  When he had shifted away she had gone from nuzzling his chest, to nuzzling his arm, and damn it all, if she wasn’t just the cutest thing he ever saw when she did that.  He smirked down at her as she groaned against the light stealing in through the window, finally opening her eyes and greeting him with a lazy smile.  “Good morning” she muttered, sleepily. 

 

“Morning.” Wyatt returned as he kissed her forehead. 

 

“It’s about damn time you two woke up!” they heard from the other room.

 

“Good morning, Rufus!” Wyatt called as Lucy pressed her face into her pillow, silently giggling.   He turned his head and gave her a sad smile, “Looks like it’s back to being respectable again…although, I’m not quite sure how respectable you can be in your underwear, ma’am.”

 

Lucy smirked, “Not respectable at all, I’m afraid.”  She leaned over brushed her lips against Wyatt’s eliciting an appreciative groan from his throat.  “Did you sleep okay?”

 

“Just fine.” Wyatt murmured as he gazed down at her lovingly. “How about you?”

 

Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but it was Rufus’ voice that once again, filtered through the wall, “I didn’t sleep well at all if either of you cares!  Are we eating any time soon or were you two going to add starvation to the long list of tortures you’ve put me through in the past twenty-four hours?”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes and reluctantly eased himself out of bed and got dressed, smiling at her as she wrapped her arms around the pillow and stretched sleepily.  He was suddenly wishing that he hadn’t been so hasty…a few more minutes, hours, days even…wrapped up in Lucy’s arms?  They could just live out their lives in 1863, to hell with the present and Garcia Flynn…

 

Except that Rufus was now knocking on the door.  “I know you can hear me, in there!  If you don’t go out and get me something to eat soon, I’m going go down and battle the lynch mobs myself!  And then you can live with the fact that your friend, the pilot AKA _your ride home_ , was brutally murdered just trying to get some damn breakfast!”

 

Wyatt suddenly opened the door, looking at Rufus in mock surprise, “Oh, hey, man…did you need something?”

 

Rufus looked up at Wyatt’s smirking face in annoyance, “Yeah, I’m gonna need a few years of therapy and if we have to stay in 1863 much longer, maybe invest in some earplugs, but right now, I’ll settle for a muffin or a piece of toast…hell, right now I’d settle for some damn cream of wheat!”

 

“Keep your shirt on, Rufus, I’m going, okay? Wyatt breathed out in exasperation as he crossed the room and threaded his arms through his coat sleeves, “Besides, Lucy needs some clothes…can’t have my wife running around New York in her underwear, now can I?” 

 

Rufus threw his hands up in exasperation and returned to the sofa grumbling about Wyatt taking his “sweet damn time” and something that sounded an awful lot like “self-control, my ass.”    

 

Wyatt stared after Rufus. The last time he had seen him so out of sorts was in 1754 when he was complaining about roughing it in the great outdoors, but there, Wyatt surmised, he had somewhat of an excuse.  Now, however, they were currently in a luxury hotel in New York City, safely tucked away from the tumultuous goings on outside. “What is with you this morning?  Are you always this grumpy?”

 

“No…I’m not always this grumpy.  But then again, I’m not usually forced to sleep on a scratchy sofa with my fingers stuffed in my ears trying not to overhear the “debriefing” going on in the next room!”

 

Wyatt was about to respond but his attention was soon directed to the bedroom door where Lucy was now standing, wrapped up in a blanket.  Wyatt’s resolve to get back to being respectable, suddenly melting away at the sight of her.  She was leaning against the door frame, watching the two of them, her hair mussed, a sleepy pout gracing her still kiss swollen lips and …and well, Wyatt was now very much of the opinion that Rufus would be just fine going out on his own for an hour, or two….or three. 

 

Rufus, following his friend’s line of vision and seeming to read Wyatt’s mind, cleared his throat and muttered, “Um, Wyatt…I think you need to exercise some of that Delta Force self-control you’ve been bragging about and get us some damn food!” Wyatt, however, made no indication that he had heard Rufus’ outburst.  He was staring at Lucy with a goofy grin planted on his face. Rufus stared between the two of them incredulously.  With mounting frustration, and just a touch of the hangries, Rufus barked out in annoyance, “Dammit you two!  Get your shit together!  We have a job to do here...remember?  Stopping Garcia Flynn?  Ring a bell?“ He shook his head, murmuring, “Fine. Fine, we’ll just let Flynn screw up history.  It won’t matter to us, because we’re gonna starve to death before we ever get out of this damn century.”

 

Wyatt finally peeled his gaze from Lucy and looked over at Rufus as if just noticing he was in the room, “Huh?  Did you say something?”

 

Lucy smiled as Rufus threw his head back, cursing.  “Wyatt,” she said with a laugh, “maybe you should go get us some breakfast…and maybe find me some clothes.”

 

“Oh, yeah…right.”  He cast one longing glance back at her before turning once more to Rufus, “You look a little tense, you doing, okay?”

 

He didn’t wait for Rufus’ answer…which was just as well, as Rufus was doing his best impression of a fish out of water, hardly believing that Wyatt had basically tuned out the last few minutes of their conversation.  As soon as the door shut behind Wyatt, Rufus trained his eyes to the floor, not daring to look at Lucy in her current state of undress.

 

Lucy crossed the room sheepishly, “I’m…just gonna” she pointed past him towards the door just behind him, “bathroom.”

 

Nearly a half an hour later, Lucy emerged, still wrapped in her blanket but clad in her pantaloons and chemise, her corset draped over her arm.  “I take it Wyatt isn’t back yet?” she asked tentatively at the prostrate figure of Rufus who was staring up at the ceiling cursing the gnawing hunger in his stomach. 

 

“No.  He’s not back yet.”  Rufus spat out angrily.  He lifted his head forward to look at her; he was hungry and miserable from a poor night’s sleep, but seeing the bruise that was now fully formed on Lucy’s jaw caused him to feel a pang of guilt for his grumpiness.  He sighed in resignation, “Thanks for sticking your neck out for me, yesterday, by the way.  I’m sorry you got hurt.”

 

Lucy shrugged, “I’ll survive.  I’m just glad you’re okay.”  She glanced towards the door of their hotel room, “I’m sorry if we made you uncomfortable…”  
  


Rufus raised his hand to silence her, “Say no more, Lucy…please.  I’d rather not have to relive last night, if it’s all the same to you. I still have to work with you both, after all, and well… I’d really like to just pretend none of that happened.” 

 

Lucy pursed her lips together, slightly abashed by Rufus’ admission, “Can I just say that I know you’re feeling like a third wheel, but…I’m glad you’re here.  I was worried sick about you out there in that Lifeboat while all of that was going on.”

 

Rufus nodded, “Well, a couch is better a far cry better than the damn floor of that clunky time machine…and I know I gave you a hard time last night, but I’m glad I was able to keep Flynn from taking off with you again.”  He looked over at her with concern, “How long are you going to be able to keep doing this Lucy?”  She looked at him with wary eyes, “I know…it’s none of my damn business…but anything could have happened to you last night…you’re taking an awfully big risk.”

 

Lucy sighed and placed her head in her hands, “They check me before and after _every_ jump and even in between.  I’m fine.”

 

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.   Time travel aside, you’re gonna have a hell of a time running around looking for Flynn when you’re-“ he nodded fervently motioning to her midsection.  “And if you think he won’t use that against you, you’ve got another thing coming.  Flynn would have a field day with that knowledge.”  Lucy sighed out in exasperation and began pacing the room, “And then what happens after the baby is born?  What if we jump and the timeline changes and-”

 

“I know, Rufus!”  Lucy spat out as she paused mid-pace.  “You think I haven’t thought about all of this?”

 

Rufus sat back in shock, “And what does have to Wyatt say?”

 

Lucy turned to him, shamefaced. 

 

“You haven’t told him yet?!” Rufus exclaimed as he jumped off the couch.

 

“Well, what was I supposed to do, Rufus?  Tell him something like that when he’s pining over Jessica?”  Lucy shook her head frantically, “No, I didn’t want him to feel any sort of obligation to me…I would never have been able to live with myself if that is the reason he stayed with me…it’s not like this was _him_ anyway.”

 

Rufus stared at her, “Uh-huh, that’s very noble of you, Lucy, but don’t you think he has the right to know?”

 

“Yes, of course, he has the right to know Rufus,” she hissed, “but you saw how he reacted when he came into a new timeline _just married to me_ …how do you think he’d react to _that_ bombshell?   I mean, when would I even squeeze that little tidbit in?  “Oh, hi Wyatt, Jessica’s alive, I’m your new wife and oh by the way, congratulations, you’re going to be a father?!”

 

“Who’s going to be a father?”

Lucy heart caught in her throat as she spun around and faced Wyatt who had just opened the door of their hotel room, Lucy’s dress draped over his arm a basket filled with muffins, fruit and large jug in his hands and the satchel from the previous evening hanging across his front. 

 

“Rufus!” Lucy gasped out ignoring the look of shock and outrage he was currently sending her way. 

 

“Wha-?  Rufus gaped at Lucy…and then squinched his eyes shut as he shook his head at Wyatt, “Um…yeah….that’s right.  I mean, someday…maybe…I don’t know.  Are those muffins?”

 

Wyatt handed him the basket and smirked at Lucy as he handed her the dress she had lost the previous evening.  “I’ll have you know I had to come up with a pretty elaborate story to get that dress back…it was almost worth keeping you in your underwear.”  She took it from him with a half smile, still reeling from her close call.  “Are you going to need help with your corset?”

 

She nodded as she looked at Rufus who took a big bite of his muffin and looked the other way. 

“Sure, um…Rufus, we’ll be right back.”

 

Wyatt followed Lucy towards the bedroom, turning before he entered the door, calling back, “Leave some of those muffins for us.  I’m hungry too, ya know.”

 

As soon as they were within the privacy of the bedroom, Wyatt snaked his arms around Lucy’s waist and pressed kisses to her neck, “I think he’s distracted, ma’am” he murmured into her hair.

 

Lucy turned quickly in his arms pressed the corset into his chest, “Sorry, Wyatt…we’re back on the clock. I think we’ve traumatized Rufus enough for one mission.”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arms back around her waist, “Rufus can take it…I don’t know how things were in your timeline, ma’am, but in mine…well, let’s just say, he gave me enough crap about coming clean about how I felt about you, I think that he deserves to witness as much PDA as I can throw at him.  If anything, it’ll teach him to mind his own damn business.”

 

“Oh?  So, Rufus could tell you had feelings for me in your timeline?”

 

“He might have assumed a few things because I wouldn’t let Bam Bam have your number.”

 

Lucy laughed as she once more pressed the corset into Wyatt’s hands, “Well, it seems to me that he had you pegged pretty well.  Face it, Wyatt…he can read you like a book.”

 

“Yeah, but I guess I can’t read him…Rufus, a father?  How did I miss that?”

 

Lucy stiffened as he began lacing up her corset, her breath hitching in her throat for more reasons than just the restrictive garment.  “Well, nothing is certain yet…we were just talking hypotheticals.  I’m sure he would make a great father, don’t you?”

 

“Didn’t sound like you were talking in hypotheticals.”  Lucy flushed, but didn’t answer.  Wyatt shrugged, “I get it…they haven’t announced it yet…don’t want people talking.” He sighed, “I don’t know, I guess Rufus would make a great dad…never really thought about it.”  He tied off her corset and began helping her with her petticoat and dress. “I mean, he just started dating Jiya, what?  About a year ago?  I just thought they’d wait.”

 

Lucy bit her lip as she nervously fidgeted with her hands.  “So…hypothetically speaking…what about you?  Do you ever think about…ya know…stuff like that?”

 

Wyatt shrugged as he straightened out the layers of her dress, “My dad wasn’t exactly father of the year…it’s really never anything I aspired to…it’s one of the reasons Jess and I started drifting apart.  She wanted to start a family and I wasn’t ready.”

 

Lucy gulped as a knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. How in the hell was she going to break this to Wyatt?  He didn’t ask for this, he didn’t _want_ this…she had just gotten him used to the idea of _them_ and now she had to somehow prepare him for the other thing he inherited in this timeline.  _Fatherhood._  

 

After the mission.  It would have to wait until after the mission. 

 

Or ya know, maybe it could wait until she went into labor.  People hide their pregnancies all the time, right?  Baggy clothes?  Strategically placed pillows?

 

Except she was pretty sure that Wyatt would not fail to notice her growing stomach, considering they were sleeping together again.   

 

Oh God.  She was going to have to tell him, wasn’t she? 

 

She swallowed hard as she turned to face him, “Thank you, Wyatt.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She added with a weak smile.

 

“My pleasure, ma’am” he smirked.  “We should probably grab a couple of muffins before Rufus eats them all.”

 

They returned to the sitting room to find Rufus happily eating a very large muffin and nursing a tumbler of milk.  His entire demeanor had changed, he was grinning contentedly and humming to himself as he took bite after bite of what might as well have been the best meal of Rufus’ life.  Wyatt laughed to himself at how easily placated Rufus was considering all the irritability he had been showcasing since waking up. 

 

Lucy, who hadn’t had really anything to eat in 24 hours, was starving.  She hungrily took a couple of muffins and a few pieces of fruit.  Wyatt watched her with widened eyes, “And to think I was worried about Rufus…save some for me, will ya?”

 

Lucy ignored him as she poured herself a tumbler of milk from the jug Wyatt had procured from what she imagined was a local bakery or dairy.  She had just taken a nice long drink when Rufus sat up in alarm and blurted out, “Pasteurization wasn’t a thing in the United States until the 1890s!!”

 

At that, Lucy choked, coughed up and spit out the milk that she had so hastily consumed wiping her tongue frantically as Wyatt looked at Lucy in stunned confusion.  “What the hell?  That was a whole 4 cents!”  He turned to Rufus, “And how do you even know that?  Isn’t Lucy the historian?”   

 

Rufus looked from Lucy to Wyatt like a deer caught in headlights.  After one pleading look from Lucy, Rufus recovered and faced Wyatt with an indignant grimace, “I’ll have you know I did a research paper on pasteurization my freshman year at MIT.   I’m not just a time machine pilot, you know.  I have other interests.”

 

“But what does that have to do with anything…I mean, milk is milk, right?  Probably safer than the water they have around here.”

 

Lucy cleared her throat and straightened her dress, “Not necessarily, bovine tuberculosis wiped out a large population in England and Wales in the early 20thcentury because of non-pasteurized milk.”

 

“Yeah, but what are the odds of that happening?  I mean, you’re the historian…any bovine tuberculosis outbreaks in New York in 1863?”

 

Lucy flushed and cast her eyes downward, “No…not that I’m aware.  I’m just a germaphobe, okay?”  She went back to eating her muffin, glancing at Rufus with a look that conveyed how thankful she was that he had not so subtly reminded her that as far as pregnancies go, non-pasteurized milk was a no go.    

 

Wyatt’s eyes darted between the two of them.  He had traveled with Lucy in the past countless times.  He had seen her eat and drink in the Pennsylvania wilderness of 1754, he had watched her gulp down “unfiltered” water at the Alamo, hell, he had even seen her drink straight out of a stream in Missouri…but now, suddenly, she was a germaphobe?  Something was definitely going on.  The medical checkups? The sudden germaphobia? Maybe this Lucy was a hypochondriac…or maybe his Lucy always had been and he never noticed it before.  After all, they were pretty desperate in 1754 and at the Alamo…and the water in that stream in Missouri was pretty damn clear.  Still, it didn’t fit with what he knew about her…she was acting…odd.  And what’s more, why the hell would Rufus blurt something like that out at Lucy as if he knew she wouldn’t want to drink it…of all the random…why the hell would Lucy’s milk preference be something Rufus would know about and not him? 

    

He frowned at them both thoughtfully as they returned to their meal, Lucy washing down her muffin instead with the water from the flask that had been in the satchel and Rufus nervously glancing up at the two of them eating his breakfast with a determination that half startled and half amused Wyatt.  He was convinced they weren’t telling him something…and he determined that he would get to the bottom of…whatever it was. 

 

Now, however, they needed to get on with the mission. 

 

Wyatt and Lucy left Rufus alone in the hotel with the promise that they would come back after they had determined what exactly Flynn was up to at City Hall.   It was nearly a three mile walk and though rioters were still in the streets, the presence of 800 soldiers brought in from West Point had kept them thankfully away from where the Governor would be speaking. Though the crowd consisted of the laboring classes, some of whom looked as if they had come straight from the violence of the night before, there was definitely a more subdued feeling in the air than the previous evening. 

 

The day was hot and humid and already Lucy was wishing she could strip out of the heavy, uncomfortable layers of her period dress.  The pressing crowd did little to assuage the issue as any breeze that happened to blow through was blocked by the several hundred bodies surrounding her.  Wyatt was peering through the crowd, looking for Flynn when a restless murmur rose around them, all eyes fixed to the front doors of the palatial building in front of them.

 

Lucy leaned towards Wyatt, “That man with the dark hair is George Opdyke, he’s the mayor of New York…not very popular with this crowd as he’s a pro-Lincoln Republican.”  Wyatt nodded tensely, ready to bolt with Lucy at any sign of trouble.  “The man in the middle with the sideburns?  That’s Governor Horatio Seymour,” she whispered.  “He’s going to tell the crowd today that the Conscription Act was unconstitutional.  He’s a Democrat…very pro-South…for economic reasons.  New York’s economy was dependent on the Southern economy…on slavery…so obviously, he supports the war effort…as a means to preserve the Union and maintain the status quo.  But, that also mean he was very much opposed to Lincoln and his policies, particularly emancipation and therefore, the draft. 

 

“Sounds like an asshole.” muttered Wyatt.

 

Lucy nodded, “And the man next to him?  That’s William “Boss” Tweed. Right now he’s the chairman of Tammany Hall which was the driving force behind the Democratic Party in this century.  He’ll rise to the very top of the ladder in the years following the riots…outwardly condemning them while doing everything he can to support the people who perpetuated all of this...insanity.” 

 

“And that’s Flynn’s target?” Wyatt asked out of the side of his mouth, still craning his neck to look for Flynn.

 

But Lucy didn’t answer him. 

 

Wyatt turned with a gasp to find Lucy swaying on the spot.  She fell sideways into him as he grabbed her around the waist and pushed his way through the crowd to get her out of the sun. He repeatedly called to her pulling out the small water flask from the satchel and pressing it to her lips. 

 

Lucy lifted her eyes slowly, confused, to find herself sitting under a tree.  “Wyatt, wha-?”

 

He breathed out a sigh of relief, “That’s the second heart attack you’ve given me in less than 24 hours, professor.”

 

Lucy threw her head back in exasperation, “I’m sorry Wyatt…it’s just so hot.”

 

Wyatt looked helplessly from Lucy to the steps of City Hall, he would have gladly taken Lucy straight back to the hotel so that she could rest, but he also knew that she would refuse, claiming the mission was more important.  Without Rufus, there was no one he could leave her with and no one to help him stop Flynn.  He scanned the crowd trying to determine what the best course of action was when he spotted a man in uniform commanding a small number of troops.  “Lucy, I’m going to go over there and get some back up.  The more eyes we have on Flynn, the better.” He placed his hands on her cheeks, pleading with her desperately, “Will you promise me that you will stay right here? I’m just going to be a few feet away….you scream if you need me, okay?”

 

Lucy nodded weakly and watched as Wyatt made his way over to the small unit commander.  She smiled to herself as she watched him approach the military man with a confidence she knew came from his military background.  No matter the century, Wyatt was right at home with his brothers in arms.  Fanning herself with the bonnet she now had stripped off of her head, she searched the faces among the crowd for the elusive Garcia Flynn.

 

She needn’t have looked too far, however.  As she was focusing her attention on the back of a very tall man who fit Flynn’s build, his voice sounded in her ear.  “You’ve certainly looked better, Lucy.  Rough night?”

 

She jumped with surprise and turned her head quickly to find him leaning nonchalantly against the tree she was sitting under.  “You sonofabitch…do you have any idea what I went through last night because of you?  Do you realize that Rufus could’ve been killed?”  He shrugged carelessly at her.  “What the hell are you up to Flynn?  What do you want with Boss Tweed?”

 

He smirked, impressed that she had once again discovered his chosen target, “What have I been telling you? I’m trying to get rid of these Rittenhouse bastards.”  He pointed towards the steps of City Hall menacingly, “That man you’re trying to protect is one of the worst.  Election meddling, government corruption, placing his cronies in positions of power for years so that they could manipulate policy and steal from the public?”

 

“Yes,” Lucy said impatient, “but without him we wouldn’t have the Brooklyn Bridge, he strengthened welfare programs, created better wages for school teachers, facilitated the founding of the New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” 

 

Garcia Flynn rolled his eyes at her and nodded with a frown, “So a little philanthropy makes up for his sins?”

 

“No! Of course not, he meets his downfall, his dirty tricks catch up with him eventually.  You know as well as I do he gets convicted and spends the rest of his life in prison.” 

 

“Yes, but not without leaving a filthy stain on American political history.”

 

“History isn’t perfect, Flynn.” Lucy snapped. “No one is perfect.  We are all capable of making horrible decisions but we’re also capable of making the right ones.  You of all people should understand that.”  She pointed towards the three men now preparing to address the crowd,   “This?  What you’re doing?  I know it’s not who you are…not really.” 

 

Flynn glared at her menacingly, “Rittenhouse doesn’t care about making the right decisions, they only care about power.” 

 

“You don’t know that. Maybe as an organization, but what about the people in it?  They might be convinced to…I don’t know, not –“

 

Flynn scoffed, “Surely you aren’t suggesting you can change their minds?” Lucy shrugged at him defiantly as Flynn laughed, “You mean like a Rittenhouse rehabilitation program?”

Lucy shrugged sheepishly, “Maybe.”  Flynn threw his head back in amusement. “No, listen.  All of us have a choice…including people in Rittenhouse, right? “

 

Flynn covered his eyes with his hand, rubbing his temples as he tried to explain, “You heard from the mouth of David Rittenhouse himself, Lucy.  They are only interested in manipulating things in their favor.”

 

“Just because he had some sick and twisted world vision, doesn’t mean that all of his followers can’t make their own choices when faced with the real-life consequences of their actions.”

 

“So,” said Flynn as he rocked back on his heels with his hands shoved in his pockets, “you believe that if they are shown their future, told what could happen to the people they so carelessly hurt they will suddenly become altruistic and become a beacon for morality and justice?”

 

Lucy stared up at him blankly.  How could she answer that question?   She had no way of knowing what anyone in history would do if they were suddenly faced with the results of their actions before those actions took place.  However, she held a firm belief that people were not inherently bad…that basic human decency would win the day if people were faced with the costs of their actions.  How many times had she read the biographies of some of her favorite historical idols and read their words of regret about an action they didn’t take or a mistake that was made that they wished they could rectify?  Surely those in Rittenhouse weren’t immune to the same regrets?  Take away the secret organization, and you were left with people…people who had their own thoughts, feelings, fears and consciences.  Maybe…just maybe instead of killing them, as Flynn insisted on doing, they could convince them that whatever it was they were doing was wrong.  She imagined Rufus would balk at the idea of disrupting the space/time continuum in such a way as to tell any one of these figures their future…but then she remembered how Rufus had wanted her to save Lincoln and she thought that perhaps convincing these people to take a different course might not be such a bad idea after all. 

 

She stood up and faced Flynn, screwing her face up in determination, when suddenly Flynn whipped her around and gripped her close to him with his arm around her throat.  She was suddenly having flashbacks of the fiery aftermath of the Hindenburg as she saw Wyatt barreling towards them, gun drawn, with a dozen or so military men following close behind.  “Get your damn hands off of her, Flynn.” Wyatt growled as he approached. 

 

Flynn tilted his mouth towards Lucy’s ear, sending a shiver of revulsion down her spine, “I’ll prove it to you.” He whispered harshly.   “I’ll show you that these bastards have no conscience when it comes to doing the right thing.  You’ll see.” 

 

He pushed Lucy towards Wyatt and took off at a sprint towards the bustling road beyond.   The soldiers Wyatt had brought with him, pursuing him until he hoped into the horse cart and sped off in the direction of Central Park.  Wyatt hugged Lucy to him, “Did he hurt you?”  Lucy shook her head against him and Wyatt whispered in her hair, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”


	20. Chapter 20

The LifeBoat materialized in the present with the same rush of wind and energy that always accompanied its departure and return.  The occupants inside the time machine, however, were a little more worse for wear than they had been on any other mission prior…with, perhaps, the exception of 1754…and at least for Lucy and Rufus, Boston.  Physically, they were mostly fine.  A few bruises could hardly compare to a musket ball in the leg, after all. Emotionally, not so much.  Sure, Wyatt and Lucy had carved out a little piece of heaven in the midst of hell (not that Rufus agreed with that assessment AT ALL) but the mission itself had been one of the worst they had experienced. The violence…the horrific violence that accompanied those riots, the close call that had almost cost Rufus his life…and had almost cost Lucy more than just her dignity, had been traumatizing enough.  And then there was Wyatt, who was left in a state of sheer panic when he had returned from trying to procure a safe place for them to spend the evening, not only to find Lucy missing, but to discover that she and Rufus were being assaulted by a drunken horde of lynch happy racists.  No matter how much they enjoyed the refuge Wyatt had obtained, that whole first day had taken its toll on the team.  They were relieved to be home, safe, in one piece.   

 

Wyatt helped Lucy out of the hatch, half carrying her down the metal staircase as she was still weak from heat and exhaustion.  Agent Christopher took one look at her and immediately called for medical despite Lucy’s protests that once she was “out the dress and the damn corset she would be just fine.”

 

Wyatt watched her be led away with marked concern, but as Agent Christopher wanted an immediate run-down on the mission he was left to follow her into the conference room, but not before Jiya pushed past him nearly knocking Rufus over in a bone-crushing hug. “Thank God, you’re okay.” she whimpered.

 

She grasped his face in her hands and gasped as she examined the bruises and cuts on his face, but Rufus just shook his head unconcernedly and muttered, “It’s fine, I’m fine.” Even those reassurances, however, weren’t enough to keep the tears at bay.  Being in the dark about Rufus for two days when he was in the middle of the Draft Riots had been hell…pure hell…and she could barely tear herself away from him long enough to let him follow Wyatt into the conference room. 

 

“I’m sorry.” she muttered as she wiped her eyes noticing Wyatt’s amused face.  “I’ve just been a mess lately.”

 

“That’s completely understandable, Jiya…given everything…I mean, the Draft Riots, worrying about Rufus and well, you know what they say…”

 

Jiya furrowed he eyebrows and frowned at him, “No…what do they say?”

 

Wyatt shifted uncomfortably, “Well, you know…women in…”he swallowed hard, already regretting that he had brought it up, “your condition.”

 

Confusion stole over Jiya’s face as she looked between Wyatt and Rufus, “I’m sorry, what?”  She screwed her face up in indignation, ‘You aren’t making some lame attempt at a PMS joke, are you?  Because that is -”

 

“Uhhh...Jiya” Rufus said nervously, glancing at Wyatt who was quickly shaking his head at Jiya in a silent plea to understand that he hadn’t meant to offend her, “Wyatt didn’t mean anything, by it.  You should probably just forget it.”

 

“Yeah, but I don’t understand what he means by –“

 

“Your condition?” Rufus interrupted as he gave her a meaningful look. “ _Lucy_ was talking to me about you…and me….and ya know, the whole parenthood thing that _we_ are so gung-ho about…and Wyatt walked in and overheard.”

 

As realization dawned on Jiya’s face, Wyatt bowed his head shamefacedly, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, but listen, I promise, your secret is safe with me.” He stole a glance at Rufus who was still looking very nervous.  “I’ll just go tell Agent Christopher that you’ll be along in a minute, okay?”  He winked at him and strode away, feeling pretty guilty about the lecture he was sure Rufus was about to receive. 

 

Jiya, as Wyatt suspected, dragged Rufus off to the alcove under the stairs to the conference room ready to tear him a new one.  “What the hell, Rufus? _I’m_ pregnant?  Couldn’t give me a heads up on that one? Why the hell were you and Lucy talking about that anyway? she slapped him on the arm and Rufus cowered away from her.

 

“Hey!  Don’t blame me!  Blame Lucy!  She’s the one who told Wyatt  _I_ was going to be a father to cover her own backside when he walked in mid-conversation.  What was I supposed to do? Call her out for being a liar?” 

 

Jiya crossed her arms and huffed in exasperation, “Yes!”

 

“Uh-huh and how do you think Wyatt would have taken that information?  We were in the middle of the damn Draft Riots…we kind of needed Wyatt focused if we were going to get out of there alive.”

 

Jiya rolled her eyes at him and shook her head in frustration. 

 

“Jiya, please…I didn’t want in on this!  I found out completely by accident.  I do not go looking to add drama to my life -  all I was doing was trying to take some damn pain pills and got pre-natal vitamins instead. You should be feeling sorry for me! It’s not like I could’ve just hobbled my black ass down to the nearest Walgreens for some Tylenol!  It was 1863!”   

 

Jiya stared daggers at him, “Feel sorry for you?  I’m sorry but I’m the one who now has to deal with pregnancy rumors since you two were too chicken to tell the truth!”

 

Rufus raised his finger in protest, “Again, that would’ve been Lucy…I had nothing to do with that…she just kinda…blurted it out.”

 

“Yeah, but you still didn’t bother setting the record straight that Lucy’s the one who is actually pregnant!”

 

“Ahem”

 

For a moment, the two of them froze, staring at each other before turning slowly towards the tall, sturdy figure of one Dave Baumgardner.

 

_Shit._

Unsure if Bam Bam had overheard their conversation, Rufus sheepishly raised his eyebrows at him before asking, “Can we help you?”

 

“Oh, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I’m kind of in a bind” He motioned to the stack of folders in his hands, “I’m on the hunt for a new place to catch up on all of your adventures.”

 

Jiya slinked past Rufus giving him a guilty stare as she grabbed Bam Bam by the elbow, “Come with me…I know a place.”

 

Rufus watched Jiya and Bam Bam retreat down the corridor together, apprehension coursing through him like a raging flood.  He hoped against all hope that Bam Bam had not overheard their conversation because if he had, that was yet another person who was in on the secret that was _not_ Wyatt…and Rufus had a feeling that somehow that was going to come back and bite him in the ass.  _Why the hell should I be worried?  This is Lucy’s problem, not mine._   But just as he thought that, he was struck with realization that if Wyatt had found out he kept this from him, it would very much be his problem because he would be in for the ass kicking of a lifetime.  Maybe he should just tell Wyatt.  Lucy might have gotten banged up for trying to save his hide, but he was pretty sure, pregnant or not, Lucy was not nearly as terrifying as Wyatt.  If push came to shove, he could take Lucy…or at least hide behind Jiya while the two of them had it out.  He heaved out a breath and made his way up the metal staircase to the conference room. He did not want to be involved in all of this mess.  “All I wanted was my damn pain pills.” he muttered miserably as he pushed open the conference room door.

 

 

_______

 

“You are extremely dehydrated…we’re going to have to give you an IV drip to get your levels back up. Have you been taking your iron supplements?  Pre-natals?” 

 

Lucy nodded at the doctor as she collapsed her head back on the hospital bed she was currently laying on. “I might have missed a dose or two, but for the most part, yes.  Will I be able to go home after this?” asked Lucy as the nurse began her saline treatment. 

 

“If all of your other tests come back fine, I don’t see any reason why not.”  He smiled at her as he marked in her chart, “Get some rest, I’ll be back after your treatment to do a full examination.”

 

Well at least Wyatt would be occupied with Agent Christopher for a while, Lucy thought with a heavy breath. For the length of the mission and everything they had experienced, the debriefing probably wouldn’t be brief at all, which would give her plenty of time to be completely checked out and ready to go by the time he finished.  She took a sip of the Powerade the doctor had brought her, already feeling much better than she was when she exited the LifeBoat. 

 

At least in the physical sense. 

 

The anxiety of having to drop this bombshell on Wyatt…the same type of bombshell that, by his own admission, had caused the rift between him and Jessica, was definitely not something she was looking forward to.  Just talking about the _potential_ of parenthood was enough to put a damper on _their_ marriage.  What did that mean for her…for them, when she was actually pregnant?  Tears welled in Lucy’s eyes as she imagined what he might think, say and do when she told him.  She wasn’t sure if she was prepared to handle another breakdown in her marriage so soon after the last one…but if she didn’t tell him soon, she would be headed for another one anyway, because she was pretty sure that if he found out she had been hiding this from him, he would never forgive her.  

 

Not that she would blame him. 

 

It wasn’t like she was intending on keeping this from him. This _new_ Wyatt, however, was not something that she had anticipated.  For a man who had just admitted to not wanting to start a family with his first wife, the one he had idolized, to now be faced with parenting a child he technically had no part in conceiving?

 

 Yeah, she had no idea how he was going to react to that news.

 

She placed the palms of her hands over her eyes as her tears dampened them.  She took a few steadying breaths and turned her head towards the door. Yes, her Wyatt was gone, replaced by this new version…a version who, despite their initial trouble, loved her. And he _was_ essentially Wyatt…the same Wyatt…just with different memories.  This news might upset him at first, but if he loved her, as he said he did, then maybe he would be happy and excited…if not, a little scared about the prospect of parenthood…as she was…and as her Wyatt had been. 

 

She just hoped he would handle it better than he had handled finding out that he had waltzed into a new timeline with her as his wife.

 

________

 

An hour and a half after their debriefing began, Agent Christopher finally dismissed Wyatt and Rufus from the conference room.  Anxious about Lucy and her condition the entire time, Wyatt had been on edge throughout the whole, snapping at Agent Christopher when she asked the same question in a different form, frustrated when she had them reiterate all that they had witnessed, and flat out angry when she had questioned his judgement on not chasing down Garcia Flynn when he had fled the scene.  Wyatt surprised even himself when he slammed his hand down on the conference room table and shouted, “Lucy was sick, there was no way in hell I was going to leave her again in the middle of that mass of people to chase down that asshole – I already lost her once on the mission, I was not about to do it again!”  He got even angrier when Agent Christopher insisted on speaking with Lucy that evening to press her for information regarding her contact with Flynn and his henchman. 

 

Rufus made his way to the conference room door, turning a wary eye towards Wyatt who seemed to be lingering, despite the fact that for the last 90 minutes he had been chomping at the bit to leave.  Wyatt nodded towards Rufus who shrugged and made his way down the staircase.

 

‘Something on your mind, Master Sergeant?  I thought you’d be bolting towards the door?” Agent Christopher observed while shuffling through her notes. 

 

“Ma’am, I was wondering if you could tell me why Bam Bam has been put on retainer for a year…I realize that this timeline is new for me but he seems to think that it has something to do with the fact that Lucy and I are married.”

 

Agent Christopher paused and looked up at him with a curious expression, “Do you have a problem with Master Sergeant Baumgardner serving as a stand in for the missions?”

 

“Well, ma’am…not generally, no. Despite the fact that I still want to kick his ass for Boston…and for other reasons I won’t mention here, he is a good soldier.”

 

Agent Christopher nodded thoughtfully, “So, what’s the problem?”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “He seems to think that he will be taking a more active role in these missions and I was just wondering if, like he said, Homeland Security had a problem with Lucy and I being married.”

 

Agent Christopher pursed her lips and tapped her pencil on the table, appraising Wyatt with a penetrating stare.  After a few tense and uncomfortable moment, she cleared her throat and pushed her chair away as she slowly stood up, “Homeland Security recognizes the importance of you and Lucy in these missions, however,” she sighed, “we find it increasingly necessary to have someone available should either one of you need to…take some time off. I hardly need to tell you, Master Sergeant, how demanding this job can be.” she gestured with the notes she had taken for the Draft Riot debrief.  “I should think that you would be happy to have someone you trust as well as Master Sergeant Baumgardner available to step in at a moment’s notice?  
  


Wyatt startled back, “Well, yes ma’am…”

 

“Then I think our conversation is over.” She said with a finality that made it clear to Wyatt that there was no use pressing her for more information.  For one brief moment, her usual stony expression faded to reveal a soft, mothering sort of smile, “Go get changed, Master Sergeant.  I’ll go speak with Lucy in the meantime…I promise I won’t be with her long.”    

 

Rushing down the stairs from the conference room, Wyatt headed to the locker room.  After two days of running around for miles in that hot and humid weather, Wyatt was grateful for a nice, refreshing shower.  He was eager to go home and put the last two days of misery behind him…and the fact that “going home” included Lucy, just made him all the more anxious to leave the stress of work behind and - to borrow a phrase from Rufus - jump into the deep end of marital bliss.  The idea of that made him smile.  It had been so long since he had had that...a home…a true home, with a wife. They had yet to be in that apartment as a happily married couple.   Things had been so awful and strained between them, there was nothing blissful about it.

 

Except for when she had muttered that “I love you” in her sleep.  That, Wyatt thought, had been pretty damn blissful.

 

Those words, however, had not been meant for him…not this version of him, anyway…and what could he say? He didn’t blame her for not repeating them since.  He had been an ass.  He knew that despite the overwhelming changes that had occurred in their relationship since that time, including his own confession of his feelings for her, Lucy would probably need a little more time to get used to this version of himself.  She had lost the Wyatt she had married, the Wyatt those words were meant for, and while he was fairly certain her sentiments for him were the same as his were for her, he hardly blamed Lucy for protecting her heart a little, when he had stomped on it so carelessly.   

 

He gathered his things and made his way out of the locker room and nearly knocked over a slightly limping Rufus who was waiting just outside.  “I thought you’d be gone by now?” Wyatt asked with a smirk.

 

“Yeah, I wish.”  Rufus muttered as he leaned against the wall. Jiya is just finishing up some things for Mason.”  He reached out with a hand to shake Wyatt’s, “Listen, thanks again for saving me back there. I’ve never been in a lynch mob before…and I have to say…never want to experience it again.”

 

Wyatt chuckled, “I don’t blame you.” He began to make his way towards the medical wing when he turned back to Rufus, “Oh by the way, I hope Jiya wasn’t too mad about the…you know..”

 

Rufus flinched slightly as they broached the subject that had him so on edge, “Um…no it...it’s fine. She’s fine.  Don’t worry about it, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt nodded to Rufus, heading once more towards the medical wing.  By now, he hoped, Agent Christopher had finished debriefing with Lucy and would allow her to go home.  That is, if she had been medically cleared to go home.  Wyatt was worried, he had never seen Lucy so affected by the heat on a mission before.  He had seen her struggle in the wilderness of 1754 Pennsylvania, he had seen her desperate and terrified at the Alamo, but he had never once seen her get sick like _that_.  She had been ill…very ill…and granted, they had seen some pretty terrible things, but even though Lucy had claimed to faint at the sight of blood, he had never seen her do more than cringe at it.  Hell, when he had had a bullet lodged in his gut, she got an up close and personal view without so much as a swoon.  And then there was all of the odd things that had been going on with her…the medical checkups, the germaphobia, the iron deficiency…something was not right. 

 

Wyatt was so lost in his thoughts that when he turned the corner, he ran smack into Dave Baumgardner. He pushed himself away from him with a grunt, “What the hell are you still doing here?”

 

“Nice to see you too, man.” Bam Bam said with a quirked eye brow. “Rough mission?” He shook his head at him, “Should have let me take it…then you wouldn’t be so stressed.”

 

Wyatt scoffed at him, “Yeah, right.  The only thing stressing me out right now is hanging around here all night.”  Bam Bam gave Wyatt an appraising look as the latter roughly rubbed his head on his neck, “I’m sorry, it’s just been a long day, okay?  I was just heading down to see if Lucy is ready to go yet.”

 

Bam Bam held out his hand in apology, “That would be a negative…sorry, I know for a fact that Agent Christopher just went in to see her for a debrief.” 

 

Wyatt looked up at Bam Bam in confusion, “And how the hell would you know that?”

 

“Because Christopher was talking to me for the past thirty minutes” he pointed to the stack of folders he was carrying, “I’ve been reading up on old missions, and had a couple of questions.”  He quirked his lip at Wyatt, “I didn’t know she was on her way to see your wife…I just waylaid her while she was making her way down the hall.”  He shrugged apologetically, “I left her as she was going into Lucy’s exam room,” he checked his watch, “five minutes ago.”

 

Wyatt breathed out a curse and turned back down the corridor, cursing Bam Bam’s knack for bad timing. Bam Bam, however, wasn’t interested in ending their conversation…not yet, anyway.  Reading the mission reports had left him with a whole host of new and exciting information that had absolutely blown his mind. 

 

He flitted around Wyatt like an annoying fly, badgering him with questions and observations about past missions, “Did Lucy really meet Abraham Lincoln?.”  At Wyatt’s nod, Bam Bam cursed in amazement and continued his spouting off about their run-in with Ian Fleming, and all the men at the Alamo until finally, Bam Bam exclaimed in awe, “You guys were actually at NASA for the moon landing?”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “I wasn’t there…I was tracking Flynn.  Lucy and Rufus, though?  They helped bring those astronauts home.” He said in a voice that could not but express the pride he felt for his team.   

 

“And you and Lucy actually met Bonnie and Clyde?  Like THE Bonnie and Clyde?” Bam Bam asked in a voice filled with wonder. 

 

Wyatt smirked to himself “Yeah, yeah we did.”  The mission that had changed his life.  That kiss that was never supposed to happen, but did…all because Lucy had forgotten to take off Dr. Noah’s engagement ring and Bonnie had assumed…at least, that’s how it was in his timeline.  He was sure that in hers it had been different.  Was she wearing _his_ engagement ring since they were playing the role of an engaged couple in real life at that time?  Or had they decided beforehand to play the part of a gangster couple to fit in with the notorious duo they found themselves awkwardly bunking with?  Either way, both timelines had resulted in a kiss that had turned his world upside down. 

 

Bam Bam nodded in amazement, “Man, I hope I get to meet some interesting people on my next mission.”

 

Wyatt bristled, “I wouldn’t hold my breath, Bam Bam…as far as I’m concerned you are here as a stand-in only and I am gonna make damn sure we don’t need to use you.  Lucy may have forgiven you for Boston, but I haven’t.”

 

Bam Bam’s mouth hung open in slighted shock, “You know?” he began, but then thought better of it, “No, never mind.  It’s not worth it.”

 

Wyatt halted in the corridor and turned to face him, “Why don’t you just say what’s on your mind, Baumgardner?”

 

That was invitation enough.

 

“You can give me all the crap you want about Boston,” Bam Bam argued, “but don’t forget that I’ve just finished reading the mission reports.”  He paused and looked at Wyatt with raised eyebrows, a look that Wyatt returned with an unconcerned shrug…until Bam Bam uttered the one thing that could wholly unsettle him, the one mission that still haunted him, “1780.”

 

Wyatt’s jaw clenched, and he could feel the heat rising into his face as he utterly stared daggers at Dave Baumgardner.  “What about it?” Wyatt gritted out.

 

Bam Bam smiled at him triumphantly, “I went for a drink and I admit, that was stupid.  But you?  You and Rufus let her go after Garcia Flynn on her own?  And after she had been groped and threatened by that David Riddlehouse dude?  What the hell were _you_ thinking?”

 

“She wasn’t going after Flynn,” Wyatt spat out angrily, “she was going after the boy Flynn was trying to kill.  We were trying to save _him_ from Flynn.”  Wyatt rubbed his hand across his face in frustration and self-loathing, “That asshole coerced us into working with him…he was on our side for that mission until everything went South.”  Wyatt gritted out, “We had called a temporary truce…he shot the sonofabitch he came to kill, how the hell was I supposed to know he would kidnap Lucy?”  

 

Bam Bam quirked his lip at him, “Never trust the enemy, Wyatt.  You should know better than that. At least with me all she got was a little bump on the head, I didn’t let her run off in the woods alone with a known terrorist.”  He leaned closer to Wyatt and whispered in his face, “So I would stop with the holier than thou act if I were you…by my count, we’re even…except that you’ve had a dozen or so opportunities to take Flynn out and you haven’t done that yet.”

 

Wyatt roughly pushed Bam Bam in the chest and stalked away.  How he wanted to kick his ass…but dammit, Bam Bam was right.  He had hit Wyatt where it most hurt and he knew it.  If there was one mission, one damn mistake that Wyatt could have rectified on any of their assignments, it was that one.  Wyatt cursed himself as he huffed down the hallway, replaying the entire 1780 mission in his mind for what felt like the millionth time.  He should have shot that sonofabitch Flynn the minute he walked through that door claiming to need their help.  Why hadn’t he?  George Washington.  Murdering George Washington would have been devastating to both the Revolution and the formation of the United States…hell, who knows if there even would have been a United States without him.  No, Flynn had used that to his advantage.  He knew Lucy would never risk the life of someone so important…and they had no reason to doubt that he wouldn’t follow through with his threat.  Flynn had already shot Lincoln, was it that crazy to believe he wouldn’t straight up murder George Washington, too? 

 

A wave of self-loathing and regret stole over him as he sank down to the floor in the long corridor leading to the warehouse exit.  With his head in his hands, Wyatt relived the four hours of terror he felt wondering what the hell Flynn had done with Lucy.  Bam Bam was right, he had no room to talk…he had failed…in more ways than one. Garcia Flynn was still murdering his way across the centuries and they were still chasing him.  Maybe he should have let them fire him when they had the chance…he should have never let Rufus and Lucy stand up for him like that. Homeland was right – he was a failure. 

    

“You okay, man?”

 

Rufus’ voice called Wyatt’s attention from his depressing thoughts. “I just had an enlightening conversation with Bam Bam.” Wyatt murmured without looking up.

 

A jolt of sheer panic drove through Rufus’ heart.  _Play it cool.  Just be cool._   He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at his friend, hoping to God he looked as casual as he imagined someone who was good at keeping secrets would appear to be, _“_ Oh yeah?  What about?”

 

Wyatt sighed heavily, his eyes trained on the wall in front of him, “We’re friends, right?”

 

“Uh-huh” Rufus answered nervously hoping that maybe, just maybe Bam Bam hadn’t dropped his name when he blabbed all he knew to Wyatt.  “You could’ve kicked my ass lots of times, but you never did…because we’re pals, you and me.”

 

“So, you would tell me the truth, right?” Wyatt asked despondently.

 

Nope.  Never mind.  Crisis mode activated. 

 

“Okay Wyatt, listen” Rufus sputtered his hands now gesticulating wildly in the air in front of him, “I didn’t want to keep this from you…I didn’t even want to know – I found out by total accident.”

 

Wyatt stared up at him, “What the hell are you talking about, Rufus?”

 

Rufus gaped, “Oh…so you’re not talking about –“ Rufus gasped as he realized he had royally screwed himself over.  “It’s nothing.  Never mind - forget I said anything.  Time travel must be messing with my damn mind, that’s all.”  Rufus tried to play off his outburst, “What were _you_ going to ask?”

 

Wyatt got to his feet and crossed his arms in front of his chest, “Well I _was_ going to ask you if you thought Bam Bam would be better suited to the missions than me, but _now_ I want to know what the hell it is you are keeping from me.”

 

Rufus backed away apologetically, only to be pursued slowly and determinedly by a fierce looking Wyatt. “No...look, I’d love to help you out, but I don’t want to be involved…this does not concern me…this is between you and Lucy.” 

 

_Dammit!_

 

Rufus knew as soon as her name left his lips that he had made a terrible mistake.  If anything, this only made Wyatt look fiercer, “What about Lucy?  What the hell do you know about her that I don’t?”

 

Wyatt now had Rufus backed against the wall, staring him down as if interrogating him for high treason. Considering the situation, Rufus conceded, Wyatt wouldn’t have been far off the mark.  Keeping something like this from him, as his friend, his team mate? He was pretty sure it went against the unwritten bro code they had established.  But Lucy, well, she was also his friend and his team mate…dammit, this is why he didn’t want to be involved.  If he wasn’t betraying one, he was going to be betraying the other. 

 

“Rufus, need I remind you that I just saved your ass from a lynch mob?”

 

“Technically, Lucy saved me first” he chuckled, “who knew that Robert Todd Lincoln was such an upstanding young fella?  Am I right? Coming to the aid of a half-naked damsel in distress.” He shook his head reminiscing in amusement, “What a swell guy.”

 

“Rufus.” Wyatt growled in warning. 

 

Seeing his life flash before his eyes, Rufus shrank down away from Wyatt, “You really don’t want to hit me, Wyatt.  I mean, what would you do without me?  I’m the only pilot you’ve got.”

 

“Ready, babe?” Jiya had just meandered into the hall, looking down at her cell phone, completely oblivious to the scene unfolding in front of her. 

 

“Yes!” Rufus shouted as he bolted away from Wyatt and dived behind Jiya, keeping her safely situated as a buffer between him and the Delta Force operative…not that it mattered as Rufus was pretty sure Wyatt could kill him with a thought.   

 

Changing tactics, Wyatt forced a smile on his face and leaned casually against the wall, “Sorry, Jiya…you may have to wait around for a few minutes.  Rufus here, was just starting to tell what he knows about Lucy.”

 

Jiya’s face darted up from her cell phone as she looked from Wyatt to Rufus in stunned surprise, “Are you serious?  You were going to tell him?!” she hissed at Rufus. 

 

“No!” Rufus exclaimed but not before he saw Wyatt’s mouth drop open in shock at the revelation that not only did Rufus know something about Lucy he didn’t, but apparently Jiya knew too.

 

“And we’re going to keep it that way!”  Rufus yelled as he grabbed Jiya by the elbow and attempted to make a mad dash past Wyatt. However, soldier that he was, Wyatt had anticipated Rufus’ evasive maneuvers and staunchly blocked their path.

 

“Spill it.”  Wyatt demanded as he stared them down determinedly.

 

“Tell him, Jiya” Rufus hissed in her ear, still resolutely positioned behind her, “Tell him, it’s nothing...there is absolutely nothing going on that is any of our business.”

 

“And yet, you two seem to know all about it.” Wyatt said cynically. 

 

Rufus and Jiya stared blankly up at Wyatt, unsure of how or why they found themselves in the unhappy position of hitting Wyatt with probably the biggest bombshell of his life…the second, really, in less than two weeks.  They were both fumbling for words, fidgeting nervously, when the very object of their discussion came bounding down the hall towards them. “Hey!” She smiled at Wyatt, “You all ready to go?” She playfully nudged his arm “Don’t forget we’re gonna need to call a cab.”

 

As much as Wyatt wanted to return her smiles, he couldn’t…not when he knew now that she was keeping something from him.  He narrowed his eyes at the three of them and spat out irritably, “We’re not going anywhere until somebody tells me what the hell is going on.”

 

Taken aback, Lucy looked from Wyatt to Rufus and Jiya.  Seeing their panicked expressions was enough for her to realize what it was that Wyatt was referring to.  She placed her hands over her face and turned away whimpering “Oh no.”  She had wanted to tell him over a nice dinner (that she ordered in) easing the blow with some romantic candles and maybe two or three…or four beers.  But no, Rufus and Jiya had to open their big mouths.  She dropped her hands and stared menacingly at them.  “Thanks a lot, you two!” she hissed angrily.    

 

“And that’s our cue…come on, Jiya, run…run as fast as you can.”

 

Rufus and Jiya had finally skirted past Wyatt whose attention was now focused solely on Lucy. They had just made it halfway to the door when Bam Bam jogged through it, his face heavy with regret.  “Wyatt, man…I’m so glad I caught you before you headed out.” Wyatt rolled his eyes as Bam Bam approached, once again cursing his timing.  “Look, man…I’m sorry about earlier.  I really am.  I was _way_ out of line.  I know how much your team means to you…and being that it was Lucy and she’s your...” He hung his head in shame, “I’m really sorry, man.  I hope that we can just forget this whole thing.” He punched his fist into his hand nervously, looking apologetically at Wyatt before nodding his head towards Lucy, “And you too…I’m really sorry for being an ass.”

 

Typically, Lucy was annoyed by Bam Bam and his obliviousness to the goings on around him.  Right now, however, she had never been happier to see him.  He was like her guardian angel.  She could have kissed him for swooping in and saving her from a very awkward and painful conversation; a conversation that she knew they needed to have, alone, in private….and not in the maintenance corridor of Mason Industries.  Maybe, she thought, his apology would placate Wyatt or at least distract him enough to keep him from pursuing the confrontation that had been so mercifully delayed. 

 

Wyatt frowned at Bam Bam and nodded his head, torn between appreciation for his heartfelt apology and irritation that he had interrupted such an important conversation.  Bam Bam seemed to take the hint, because he cleared his throat and added awkwardly, “You and I should really go out and get a drink later…not tonight, obviously,” he said smiling at Lucy, “but soon.  I mean, you have a lot to celebrate, right?  “You just survived the Draft Riots, you’ve got a beautiful wife,” he shot a brief glance towards Rufus and Jiya who were now absolutely frozen in place with fearful anticipation, “and I hear through the grapevine that you’re gonna be a father…so, congratulations.”

 

Lucy took it back. She hated Dave Baumgardner.  She absolutely detested that man.

 

Wyatt gaped at Bam Bam and then turned his head slowly to Lucy, “Is this true?” he asked in a state of complete and utter shock, “Is this what you all have been hiding from me?”

 

Bam Bam had been looking from Wyatt to Lucy, when he noted that the latter was looking absolutely mortified…it wasn’t until after Wyatt had spoken, however, that he realized what he had done. “Oh, jeez…I’m so sorry.  I didn’t realize…I heard people talking, I just assumed you knew.” He explained meekly to Wyatt who was looking more and more ashen-faced as he stood there staring at Lucy who refused to meet his gaze.  He backed away from them, apologizing once more, before joining Rufus and Jiya in a race towards the exit. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HE KNOWS!!!!!!
> 
> And yes, of course I left it there * evil laugh*
> 
> Just wanted to drop a little note that I realize in the Benedict Arnold episode Flynn coerces them three times....once with GW and the other with the name of Jessica's killer and getting rid of RH. I only addressed Washington here because Jessica is alive in this timeline and discussing whether or not Flynn had knowledge of the timeline change that Wyatt experienced and what that other version of Flynn might have said to the other Wyatt was just clunky and so I didn't address it on purpose. I'm not trying to pull a fast one on you here, I just was trying to keep this narrative from falling into a crazy discussion about metaphysics...because THAT was not the focus of the whole exchange...the focus was Bam Bam giving Wyatt a big old piece of humble pie and I felt like I didn't need to distract from that by talking about Flynn's reality in this timeline...it's just a rabbit hole I don't want to fall into. LOL. 
> 
> I want to thank you again and again for showing this story so much love and I just want you to know how much I appreciate it. I always look forward to your reactions/reviews and I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I promise I won't leave you hanging long....21 is basically finished.


	21. Chapter 21

Leave it to Bam Bam and his knack for making a bad situation worse, to spill the beans…beans that Lucy had no idea he even had.  Watching Rufus, Jiya and Dave Baumgardner make their escape while she was left to answer to Wyatt made Lucy feel like she was falling through the air without a parachute.  She did not want to do this in the hall where any number of interns and lab techs could walk by and overhear their whole conversation; not that it mattered, since apparently, her pregnancy was old news…to everyone except Wyatt.  She could feel his eyes boring into her and though she couldn’t look at him, she could sense his anger.  The air between them was thick with tension and Lucy could hardly breathe.  Unable to stand the uncomfortable silence any longer, she turned abruptly and stalked away as fast as her legs could carry her, recognizing the sound of Wyatt’s long, heavy strides in her wake.  She sought refuge in the small conference room that Jiya had commandeered months ago for her hair dressing, it was far enough out of the way to at least offer them a semblance of privacy.  Steeling herself with a deep breath, she made her way to the far end of the room and turned to face him, bracing herself for the wrath that was sure to come. 

 

But it didn’t. 

 

And that was almost worse. 

 

One look at him and she could tell he was hurt…and it completely broke her heart.

 

“Is it true, Lucy?” He asked in a voice thick with emotion “Are you…pregnant?”   

 

Lucy, unable to bear the painful expression on his face, hung her head down in shame as she answered him with a barely audible, “Yes.”

 

How the force of that one muttered word affected Wyatt, Lucy had no idea.  She couldn’t seem to remove her eyes from the floor.  After a silence that seemed to stretch for an eternity he finally spoke again, “You lied to me.  I asked you…God, Lucy, how many times did I ask you?  And you told me there was nothing…nothing that I should know, nothing that I should be worried about.”  He shook his head and bit his lip, “Hell, you told me that right outside this very room.” He scoffed, “I’m guessing that is what you and Jiya were talking about that day?”

 

She nodded as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. 

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked in a voice so soft and full of pain that Lucy had almost wished he had shouted it.    

 

As much as her own heart broke for his pain, however, Lucy couldn’t help but scoff at his question, “Why do you think, Wyatt?  How could I tell you something like that when you couldn’t even process the idea of you and I being married?”  Lucy gasped as her tears fell harder and faster, “How could I tell you when you were dead set on winning Jessica back?”

 

“All the more reason to tell me, Lucy.” He argued firmly, as Lucy looked back at him incredulously.

 

‘Why, so you could take pity on me?  Sacrifice your chance to win back Jessica, so that you could make some noble gesture and do the right thing?” she countered angrily.  “It took _everything_ I had to stand aside and let you go, knowing that I…knowing that I could potentially be raising this baby on my own…but I was not about to use that as a means to manipulate you into staying with me. That is not who I am.”

 

“Manipulate me?  Lucy, what the hell?  I love you.  I would never thi-“

 

“Wyatt, you left – you admitted that you left to win back Jessica.  If I told you _then_ , and you hadn’t gone, you would always be wondering” she swallowed hard as she stared back at him defiantly, “and so would I.”

 

‘Fine.” Wyatt said with a little more anger than he had intended, “But holy shit, Lucy, Bam Bam knew before I did.”  He shook his head in anger, “Bam Bam.”

 

Lucy shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment, “I have no idea how Bam Bam found out,” Wyatt sneered at her in doubt, “I don’t!  Do you think I sent out an e-mail or something?   Jiya and Agent Christopher were the only ones who were supposed to know.”

 

“And Rufus?  Don’t tell me he didn’t know the way he was acting tonight –“ Wyatt paused as realization dawned on his face, “that’s what all that stuff with the milk was about, wasn’t it?”  Lucy looked at him shame-faced. ‘So, you could tell Rufus, but you couldn’t tell me?” he shouted.

 

“I didn’t tell Rufus, he found out on his own.” Lucy snapped angrily. 

 

“Yeah, right.” Wyatt scoffed, “Because Jiya told him.”

 

Wyatt paced angrily in front of the conference room door, not even looking in Lucy’s direction.  He felt betrayed by his entire team.  They all knew.  Every single one of them and they had all kept him in the dark.  He felt like a chump.    

 

“No, Jiya didn’t tell Rufus. She would have never done that.” Lucy said weakly.  Wyatt rolled his eyes at her in disbelief.  “I mean it, Wyatt.  Rufus found out on this last mission because of the mix-up with the pills.”  She appealed to him in a voice of desperation, “The medical team switched our pills, remember?  He figured it out when he saw my pre-natal vitamins.”  She sighed heavily, “He wasn’t supposed to know. I mean, you didn’t even know.”

 

“I know I didn’t know, Lucy, that’s the problem.” Wyatt countered, angrily.

 

“No,” she sobbed, “not _you_ …him… _other_ you.” As realization dawned on Wyatt’s face, Lucy’s tears fell freely once more, so much so that she covered her face in her hands and wept as Wyatt looked on, unsure of whether to rush to her side or kick his own ass for making her cry.

 

Something inside him, however, was still reeling from the underhandedness of it all, the feeling of betrayal, of being left purposefully out of the loop and before he could stop himself he spat out, “Is that supposed to make me feel better?  That you didn’t think any version of me should know about this?”

 

Lucy inhaled sharply and stared daggers at Wyatt.  He knew he had crossed the line with her, but at the moment he didn’t care.  She had lied to him.  Repeatedly.   Sure, she had her reasons, but they were still lies and it still hurt.

 

“Do you honestly believe that I didn’t think you had a right to know? 

 

Wyatt gave her a look that communicated exactly what he believed.  She had had gone out of her way to mislead him, to hide this from him, she had even dodged direct questions.  How could he believe that she actually wanted to include him in this?    

 

“Maybe,” Lucy gritted out indignantly, “if you hadn’t been so bull-headed when you arrived in this timeline, I would’ve told you.” 

 

“Yeah, sure,” Wyatt grunted resentfully “blame it on that, when you admitted you didn’t tell the other version of me either.”

 

If Lucy wasn’t angry before, she was now.  She sneered as she made a step towards Wyatt, “Did you ever once ask why I was at home and not on the mission with you in this timeline?”  She shook her head at him as fresh tears pooled in her eyes, “I know, _your_ Lucy was sick…but what about me?  Did you ever wonder why I stayed home that…that night?” 

 

Huh. 

 

Now that she mentioned it, Wyatt had to admit, he never did.  He just assumed that for whatever reason, Lucy had stayed behind and Bam Bam had gone in her place.  He shook his head tentatively, feeling a bit foolish for never asking that question…which now, seemed so obvious that he should have. 

 

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him defiantly, “About a week before you showed up in this timeline, I was having bouts of sickness, and would get violently ill during the launches…something that you rightly noted never happened before.” 

 

“So, the Dramamine…” Wyatt began. 

 

“Was prescribed after my last mission with…him.  Despite what I let you assume in 1863, I haven’t been taking it all along.”  Lucy admitted with a sniff. 

 

“So that was another damn lie.” Wyatt spat out as he rolled his eyes and strode away from her. 

 

She sighed heavily as she raked her fingers through her hair in a sad kind of desperation, her heart full of regret, “Look, I’m sorry about that, okay?  Did you really want me to drop this bombshell on you in the middle of the Draft Riots?”

 

Wyatt didn’t answer her question, he leaned forward and rested his palms on the table, considering her. How many lies had she told him? How many times had he foolishly dismissed every concern, every suspicion because _she_ had told him there was nothing to worry about?  He trusted her, dammit.  Maybe a little too much.  He wanted to leave…to walk away until he could come to grips with the reality that Lucy, _Lucy_ had betrayed his trust.  Repeatedly.  He felt so unbalanced by it all, like the very foundation of their relationship was built on nothing but  deceit. She stood there, a mixture of vulnerability and irritability…halfway between crying her eyes out or screaming at the top of her lungs…and no matter how much Wyatt wanted to get the hell out of Mason Industries and drive until his head was clear, he couldn’t.  No matter how much she had hurt him, he couldn’t bring himself to retaliate with a disappearing act - no, he would stick this through to the bitter end.  He threw back his head with an exasperated sigh, “Alright, so you were getting sick and Mason’s doctors gave you some Dramamine…”

 

Lucy nodded and twisted her fingers nervously, “You…I mean, _he_ was convinced that there was more going on than just motion sickness.  We took a pregnancy test at home…several, actually, but they had come back negative.  Still,” she smiled softly to herself, “ _he_ was so convinced that I was, he told me that a cheap piece of plastic wouldn’t change his mind.” She took a steadying breath, “So, we went into Mason together that day, so that he could prove that he was right.” Lucy’s tears began to fall silently again as she added, “But before I could be seen by the medical team, Flynn had jumped.”   

 

She wiped her eyes and continued with a quavering voice, not daring to look at Wyatt’s face, “ _He_ left me behind… _he_ told me _this_ was more important than Flynn and that by the time he got home from the mission, we would know.”  She heaved a heavy sigh and in a voice so small Wyatt barely heard it she whispered, “I should’ve never let him go without me.”

 

Wyatt exhaled a breath and fell against the wall, feeling the weight of her words crush him like a vise.  He had left her…

 

Lucy cried softly, “He asked Jiya to stay with me through all the tests. That’s how she knew” she explained quietly, “and of course, Agent Christopher was made aware so that plans could be made for…a temporary replacement.” 

 

With a quavering voice she continued, “I went home and tried to wait up for him” she gave a half a smile as she let out a short laugh through the tears, “I couldn’t wait to see his face when he found out he had been right.”  She bit her lip as her face twisted in anguish, “But it had gotten so late, and I was so tired…”

 

As she broke down in tears, Wyatt couldn’t resist the urge to hold her any longer.  In one quick stride, he crossed the distance between them and gathered her up in his arms.  The full weight of how much of an ass he had been had come crashing down on him as he realized now that no one could have been more devastated with the change in the timeline than Lucy.  She had been expecting him… _other_ him, to arrive in eager anticipation for the news that she… _they_ were going to be a family…an actual family.  Instead, she woke up to find a different Wyatt, a Wyatt who had coldly dismissed the idea of them as a couple, a Wyatt who had cringed at the apartment filled with Lucy’s things, a Wyatt who had said that losing Lucy would be worth having Jessica back.

 

God, how he hated himself.

 

How could he have never asked her why she had stayed home?  How could he have never talked to her about what she had lost?  It’s not like Lucy hadn’t tried…that first night…that terrible first night when he had wandered into what he didn’t recognize as the best damn thing to happen to him, he had coldly rejected her attempt to figure this out together.  How could she even stand to be in the same room with him after what he had put her through during such a difficult time?  How scared and alone must she have felt during that first week of his arrival? How heartbroken had she been?  Her hopes and expectations completely dashed to pieces by the jackass version of himself who had walked through her door.

    

Yet Lucy, amazing woman that she was, never let it show.  Sure, she had been upset, things had been tense between them, but she put aside her feelings time and time again.  She had gone on the mission, focused on the task at hand, seemingly unbothered by what was happening in her personal life. She continued to work with him, even though he had given her no reason to trust or even like him.  And while Wyatt couldn’t even stand to sleep in their bedroom, she was the one who had left so that _he_ would be more comfortable.  Lucy’s selflessness and empathy for others far exceeded that of anyone Wyatt had ever met…and he felt completely unworthy of her. 

 

He embraced her tightly as his own tears began to fall.  “I’m so sorry, Lucy.” He muttered into her hair.  He stroked her back and nuzzled his face deeper into her curls and murmured, “I am such an ass.”

 

His mind went back to that afternoon when she had disappeared from Mason to pack up her things from their apartment.  He had asked her to stay, after everything he had said, after making it clear that he didn’t want this…her…he had asked her to stay with him.  He cringed as he thought of how heartless he had been.  He had claimed that his marriage to her was not as strange as her engagement to Noah…because he knew her.  What had she said to him?   _No, you don’t._  Those barely audible words had struck him to the heart then, but now, knowing the context, he felt their full force.  He was NOT _her_ Wyatt…he had missed out on their engagement, their wedding, their marriage, and _this_ …this eager anticipation that _they_ shared for parenthood.  He had walked into that apartment, a stranger to her…at a pivotal time in her life and marriage with that other version of himself and stomped all over her heart.

 

While he had been complaining about how the universe had wronged him by changing Jessica’s fate and giving him the gift that was Lucy, she was silently dealing with the crushing blow of having her entire world ripped away from her once again because of time travel.   Amy, her father, and her Wyatt…all gone…and what did she get in return?  A replacement Wyatt who had called this timeline a nightmare.  A replacement Wyatt who had pompously believed that because he knew _his_ Lucy, he automatically knew this one too. 

 

How very wrong he was.

 

Sure, she was still Lucy…just as he was still Wyatt, but their relationship was not the same as the one they had experienced with each other’s counterpart.  Their experiences and their memories were not shared ones…this timeline was different with a few similarities here and there.  That sure as hell didn’t make him an expert…and it sure as hell didn’t give him the right to claim that he knew her any better than that jackass of a fake fiancé, Noah. 

 

That’s why when she attempted to make a tearful apology for keeping him in the dark, he shushed her and held her closer telling her firmly that she had nothing to be sorry for.  It was him…his fault…his piss poor attitude that had put her in the position of rejecting her own needs to spare his feelings. 

 

Her shoulders shook as she sobbed into his chest.  Two days of raw emotions coupled with nearly two weeks of keeping an impossible secret, the roller coaster her emotions had gone through in just the past few days, culminating in one awful moment of truth.  She had been so worried that Wyatt would balk at the idea of parenthood; after all he had just said in New York that he had drifted apart from Jessica because he wasn’t ready for that step.  She had had her concerns about this Wyatt before then, that conversation had only confirmed to her that she had reason to be worried. That, more than anything, had been her biggest fear in telling him; that he would reject her…them…because of the overwhelming realization that despite not even being romantically involved with the Lucy in his timeline, he would be bearing the responsibility of the Wyatt in this one.  Filling those shoes, that role as husband and soon-to-be father, was more than she could imagine anyone would be willing to take on, especially someone who had suffered all that Wyatt had. 

 

She knew, from the little he had told her, that his childhood had been an unhappy one.  That his father was what he called a “world-class sonofabitch” and that it was only his Grandpa Sherwin who had given him any sense of stability and duty in his young years.  With Jessica’s death, he had struggled with debilitating guilt, she had known that from almost the first moment she met him.  For her Wyatt, however, that mistake had been rectified and it had allowed him to open himself up to the possibility of finding love again. For this Wyatt, however, it was still raw…he may have finally come to grips with his true feelings for Lucy, but he wasn’t as far removed from his guilt over Jessica’s death as her Wyatt had been.   She knew, despite how much it hurt, that his rejection of her, when he first arrived, stemmed from his feelings of guilt and betrayal surrounding the death of his first wife.  She couldn’t and wouldn’t blame him for that.  But she also knew that finding out that he not only had a different wife in this timeline, but that he was also going to be a father, would be harder to take in. It would overwhelm anyone. 

 

“Wyatt?” she sniffed, “Are you okay?  I mean, are we okay?  I know this is…a lot for you to take in…all at once.”

 

He pulled slightly away from her and brushed the tears from her eyes, tilting his forehead to meet hers, “Yeah, we’re okay.  I guess this means no spaghetti and meatballs for a while?”

 

“Oh God, no,” Lucy laughed through her tears remembering that terrible smell in the musty barn.  She swallowed hard as she offered him a half smile, “I hope that’s not a deal breaker for you?”

 

 Wyatt smirked at her in return, “It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make, ma’am.”

 

She lifted her head and rested it on his shoulder, sighing lightly as she felt herself melt in the warmth and security of his embrace.  She felt an overwhelming rush of gratitude for him.  Not just for loving her, but for being everything that was Wyatt.  Her source of strength, her protector, someone she trusted above all else, and someone who could make her laugh despite the fact that they were both reeling from the emotional hell of the last two weeks. She held him tighter as she breathed out, “I love you, Wyatt.”

 

And there it was. 

 

His breath caught in his throat as the words he had been so anxious to hear seemed to hang in the air between them.  Yes, he had heard them from her before, but this time it was not a case of mistaken identity, brought on by some slip of the subconscious, some dream induced sleepy rambling.  No. These words were meant for _him_. He didn’t feel like he deserved them at all after everything he had done to almost destroy this…but if anything, it only made him love her more.  His heart was filled with gratitude for the wife who loved him so much she would’ve been willing to let him walk out of her life if it had meant that he would be happy.

 

She really was the best and most selfless person he had ever known.    

 

For really the first time since walking into this timeline, he no longer felt like he was living someone else’s life, someone else’s dream.  He might not have been the version of Wyatt who had initially won her heart, but he sure as hell had it now…and he was not going to screw this up.  He nuzzled her cheek until she turned her face slightly towards him, the air around them thick with emotion.  He gently placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face towards his, capturing her lips in one tearful, heartfelt kiss.

 

She smiled softly through her tears as she pulled away with a sigh.  Wyatt smirked down at her, his own eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears. He leaned his forehead towards hers, drinking in this moment, the moment he knew he would never forget as long as he lived.  He rubbed his hands up and down her back and murmured playfully, “And I love you, Lucy Preston-Logan.”

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck for a bone crushing hug…and Wyatt never wanted to let her go…but Lucy had other plans.  “Come on,” she said as he reached down and grasped his hand tugging him towards the conference room door, “it’s time for you to meet someone.”

 

Wyatt had braved battlefields in some of the most volatile regions on Earth.  He had stared down the adversary, outnumbered twenty to one, had risked his life in covert operations that had him eyeballs deep in enemy territory…but nothing, nothing terrified him more than staring at the monitor of the ultrasound machine in Mason Industries medical department.

 

“Is…is that it?” he asked tentatively looking up at the doctor. 

 

The doctor smiled pleasantly and used his pen to point out the unmistakable facial profile of the bean-like blip currently projected on the screen.  Wyatt tried to pay attention.  He picked up snippets like “10 weeks gestation” and “developing nicely” but he was having a hard time focusing on anything else than the tiny person showcased in gritty black and white that was one part him and one part Lucy. 

 

The warbled sounds of a distinctive heartbeat set his own heart in rapid motion.  This was real.  This was happening and as he looked down at Lucy, he was overcome with the enormity of…all of this.  Two weeks ago, he was a widower who was very much in denial about his growing feelings for one certain historian.  Now suddenly, he was married…happily married to that same woman and they were going to be parents.  He had cursed the universe or fate when he had been thrown into this timeline, feeling like he had lost his chance to find happiness; but now, he was positive he had never been happier.  He went from a lonely existence, filled with heart ache and regret, to this...to a family. Wyatt had a family.  He blinked back the tears as Lucy threaded her fingers through his. 

 

As the doctor handed them a flimsy picture of their ultrasound, Wyatt settled himself beside Lucy and kissed her head.  As the doctor exited the room, Lucy looked up at Wyatt with concern, “Are you alright? You’re looking a little pale.”     

 

Wyatt breathed out a shaky breath, “To be honest? I’m scared as hell,” He rubbed her arm reassuringly as she let out her own sigh, “but Lucy, I wouldn’t want this with anyone else but you.”

 

 She nodded shakily, “I’m scared too.  I don’t even know the first thing about babies.  I completely ignored Amy when she was born.”  Lucy looked up at Wyatt guiltily, “I asked my mother to take her back to the hospital.”

 

Wyatt bit back a smirk, “Well, you have more experience than I do.  I didn’t have any brothers or sisters.” He patted her hand, “I guess it’s a good thing we’re professional risk takers, then.” 

 

She quirked her eyebrow at him, ‘What do you mean by that?”

 

“I mean,” Wyatt explained with a shrug, “how many time travelers are there in the world?  We’re pioneers…like the first astronauts in space. That’s kind of a big deal, if you think about it.”  Lucy nodded thoughtfully, “How many parents are there?  A hell of a lot more.  They have classes and stuff for this sort of thing…not so much for our day jobs.” He nodded at her reassuringly, “The odds are in our favor, ma’am.  You and me?  We’ve got this.”

 

Lucy leaned her head against him with a sigh, “Yeah…yeah maybe we can do this.”  She reached up and kissed him on the cheek, “Thanks, Wyatt.”

 

He planted another kiss on her head, “Come on, Professor, let’s get home.”

 

After changing back into her black dress from what felt like so many evenings ago, Lucy and Wyatt walked hand in hand outside of Mason Industries and loaded themselves into a waiting cab.  The drive back to their apartment was decidedly different than the taxi ride to Mason Industries two nights ago. Instead of making out like horny teenagers in the backseat, they sat side by side, holding onto one another, hearts and minds too full of emotion to speak.  With his free hand, Wyatt held the ultrasound picture of their baby wondering how on Earth he had gotten to be so damn lucky.  He didn’t know what he had done to deserve any of this, but now that he had it, he couldn’t imagine how he had almost denied himself this chance…this gift…of them…of their life together.

 

He tugged Lucy closer to him as she rested her head on his shoulder, the swaying of the vehicle serving to lull them both into a state of peaceful contentment.  They were going to be parents.

 

 

He had never wanted that with Jessica.  She had…she had wanted a boy…but Wyatt had fought her on that tooth and nail.  He had argued that there would always be time, that there was no need to rush, that his career in Delta Force put him at risk, and he didn’t want her to be left with the burden of raising a child alone should the worst happen.  That was his excuse, anyway…and Jessica saw right through it when he was the first to volunteer for every deployment, every mission and every extended TDY.  He was avoiding her…and the idea of parenthood. The fights that caused were awful. Jessica had known Wyatt in his youth, and so she, he had reasoned, should have understood, she should have been more sympathetic.  That’s why when she had signed them up for marriage counseling, Wyatt felt like it had been a betrayal.  She had told some stranger what was “wrong” with him, and the two of them, he felt, at the one and only session he attended, were trying to push him into something he didn’t want and wasn’t ready for –trying to get him to face his demons and stare down his past. 

 

It wasn’t until Jessica’s death that he began to regret that he hadn’t taken the time to face those demons. It was his hot-headedness after all that had led to her murder…he had left her on the side of that road just because she had talked to an old boyfriend at a bar.  It was that kind of behavior that Wyatt had hated in his father…and here it had come back to haunt him even after swearing up and down that he would never be like that man.  With Jessica’s death, he was now forced to face those demons…and face them he did…by throwing himself into his work, regretting every day that he had ruined his life and his marriage because he couldn’t swallow his damn pride. 

 

And then came Lucy. 

 

He had become a better man just by knowing her.  He had been awful to her that first mission, he could hardly believe, even now, that she could have trusted him again after he took that shot at Garcia Flynn, his aim, inches from her head.  He would never try to make that same shot now.  But then?  He was a puffed up, pompous ass from all of his years of training and dangerous missions. He hadn’t seen the shot he had made as a risk to her life, he had seen it as a necessary action for the mission. He had emotionally isolated himself from everyone around him…and the high-strung claustrophobic historian he had just met was no exception.

 

And Lucy called him on it. 

 

The woman he had dismissed as nerdy, high-strung and pretentious had not only held a knife to a Nazi’s throat, but had stared down Garcia Flynn and confronted Wyatt over his risky shot and his decision to bring his modern gun into the past.  The Stanford Professor who had proclaimed herself to be “just a teacher” was not at all intimidated by the likes of one hot-headed Wyatt Logan.   Lucy Preston could hold her own, and Wyatt was at once impressed and surprised by her.  She was definitely not like any one he had ever met before. 

 

It really wasn’t any wonder that he had fallen for her.  Traveling through time together, taking that big of a risk, wasn’t your normal, everyday thing.  Rufus had already had experience taking trips to the past, but for him and Lucy, the Hindenburg was a first…and therefore, something they shared together.  Something that was uniquely theirs.  As partners, teammates, she was his equal.  Where she was weak, he was strong, and where he was weak, she was strong.  They supported and helped each other in the various centuries they found themselves in, taking care to encourage and inspire one another along the way.  They had tackled the French and Indian War, the Alamo, and had even fought Nazis…what other people in all the world had the same resume?  Wyatt had supported Lucy through the loss of her sister and she had supported him in his grief over Jessica.  When the timeline had shifted and they had found themselves engaged, the other Wyatt had stepped up and helped Lucy deal with the repercussions that came with finding herself without a home to call her own.   It was what they did, as a team, as friends, and then as a couple.  Why would it be a surprise, therefore, that they were going to tackle one more thing together?  Parenthood.      

 

As they entered their apartment for the first time in Wyatt’s memory, at least, as a true and happy couple, he could see in his mind’s eye their future unfolding before him. It should have terrified him, and yes, he was scared…but looking at Lucy, at their apartment, at the home and life they had already built together, he was buoyed up with an eager anticipation for whatever it was life had in store for them.  He was certain that whatever battles came their way, they would be able to face them…together. 

 

He secured the ultrasound picture on the refrigerator with a magnet and stood back, admiring the new addition to their kitchen décor.  Lucy leaned against that counter and watched him as he stared at the photo, his brow furrowed in concentration.  “What is it?” she asked in an amused voice.

 

Wyatt tilted his head, still looking at the picture, “I’m trying to decide who this kid is going to take after.”

 

Lucy snorted, “Wyatt, the baby isn’t fully developed yet…it still looks like an alien.”

 

“I don’t know,” he murmured, “I’m definitely seeing your scowl on that face.”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes, “Because I’m the one who is known for scowling…admit it, Wyatt if that baby has a scowl, it comes from your side of the gene pool, not mine.”

 

“Mmmhmm,” Wyatt muttered absent-mindedly, “I think we should start taking bets now…bossy-know-it all or…”

 

“Reckless hot-head?” Lucy finished for him.

 

“How about a reckless know-it-all or a bossy hot-head?” Wyatt said with a smirk.

 

“That sounds a little terrifying.” Lucy said with raised eyebrows.  “Babies are supposed to be sweet, right?  That’s more of a teenage year kind of thing?”

 

“I don’t know, ma’am.” Wyatt said with a shrug, “I hear some babies can be assholes…but I don’t think that will be the case for us.”

 

“Oh no?” Lucy asked in amusement, “What makes you so sure?”

 

“Just a feeling” Wyatt said as he turned to face her, brushing the hair away from her face and smiling softly.          

 

Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him and brushed past him, “Well, maybe…if we’re really lucky…this baby will have your bravery…”

 

“…and your brains.” Wyatt nodded, leaning against the counter she had just vacated as he frowned in thought.

 

“And a knack for learning languages.” Lucy added as she reached into the cabinet to pull out a glass. 

 

“That too.” murmured Wyatt…he wasn’t quite able to make a coherent thought anymore.  Not with Lucy in that dress, standing in her barefeet, on her tip toes, in the kitchen.  He stared at her wantonly as she poured herself some ice water, hardly aware that he was doing so. 

 

That is until Lucy spoke up. 

 

She smiled at him knowingly, “I see you’re back to being disrespectable again.”

 

Wyatt gave her a devilish grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist, “Can’t help myself, ma’am.” He leaned in and ghosted his lips over her face.  “Rufus isn’t here to keep me in check.”

 

Lucy smiled against his lips as they grazed over hers.  “You’re absolutely right, Rufus isn’t here,”  She quirked her eyebrow at him, “which means…”

 

Hardly able to resist that invitation, no matter how subtle, Wyatt literally swept Lucy off of her feet and began hauling her off to the bedroom, his lips on hers as she frantically began unbuttoning his shirt.  They had only gotten about halfway there when Wyatt stilled her hand and pulled out of the kiss with a breathless, “Hang on.”

 

Leaving Lucy standing in a state of bewilderment in the hall, Wyatt rushed over to the kitchen counter and switched both of their phones to silent before running back to Lucy’s side.

 

“Wyatt,” Lucy remonstrated, “what if Flynn jumps…” she began but Wyatt shook his head at her almost growling before he captured her lips with his again. 

 

“We are off the clock, Lucy.”  Wyatt gasped between kisses, “If Flynn jumps, Bam Bam can take it…I really don’t care. He just told me tonight he wanted to meet some interesting people on a mission.  I say we let him.”       

 

“I think that’s a very good idea.” breathed Lucy as he barreled them through the bedroom door.

 

Something about being with Lucy here, in the present, and not in some strange hotel room in a century they didn’t belong, made the reality of this…them…far more real than anything had before.  They were in their bedroom, on their bed, with things familiar and distinct to the both of them all around.  They were home…and as Wyatt gazed down at Lucy with her hair fanning over the pillow he knew that he had never quite understood the meaning of that word…until now.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter has been highly anticipated and these are the ones that make me the most nervous for possibly disappointing readers. I hope it lives up to expectations. 
> 
> It's a little more fluffy than some of my others, I know....but I hope it didn't cross over into diabetes inducing sweetness...I like a healthy balance ; ) 
> 
> Thank you as always for reading and reviewing!!!


	22. Chapter 22

“Find a nice girl and settle down.”

 

Those had been Grandpa Sherwin’s words to Wyatt on countless occasions – it had been what he called “a recipe for a happy life.”

 

Home had never been a place of real happiness for Wyatt. As a child, abused and neglected as he was by his father, he had spent as little time there as possible.  The result, as he got older, was days spent running around with the wrong crowd, getting into run-ins with the law, and stealing his dad’s car for joy rides whenever he just needed to get away from it all.  He was on the road to nowhere, fast -until his Grandpa Sherwin stepped in and whipped him into shape. Being the fine example he was, Grandpa Sherwin was the saving grace for Wyatt in his youth.  It was due to him that he even finished high school and then later, enlisted in the military.  Making him proud was all Wyatt ever wanted to do.

 

In marrying Jessica, Wyatt thought, it would complete the ideal he had set in his mind for what happiness should look like…or rather, what his Grandpa Sherwin had told him happiness would look like.  That’s why as soon as he finished training, he proposed to the nice girl he had known in his youth, the nice girl who had stuck with him despite his rough upbringing, he nice girl who had been his first and really only experience with love. 

 

And for a while, they were happy.

 

Living with Jessica was a hell of a lot better than living with his drunk of a father.  Life seemed new and wonderful, having someone care for him and worry about him in ways that he had never really experienced before. It wasn’t enough, however.  They were so young and inexperienced with life that when troubles came along, it affected them in ways that they weren’t quite prepared for.  The death of Grandpa Sherwin had been the first blow.  Wyatt had lost the first and only person in his life who was truly his hero. Jessica had been supportive, but she couldn’t understand why weeks and even months later, Wyatt was not himself. Then came the deployments and the moves and the general instability that came with military life.  Add the pressure of starting a family and home with Jessica had gone from being a place of hopeful respite from the trials of his youth to a place Wyatt wanted to avoid.  Happiness, he realized too late, didn’t just happen because you married, it was something you both had to work towards…and he and Jess weren’t working.  After her death, their home was even less welcoming than it had been when she was alive.  Every room held a memory and every memory spoke to Wyatt of how much he had failed…both his Grandpa Sherwin and Jessica. 

 

Taking the assignment for Mason would allow him to escape San Diego and the unhappy memories that haunted him everywhere he went.  He hadn’t even paid much attention to the apartment he had secured.  It was available, it was in a safe neighborhood, and it suited his needs.  He wouldn’t have called it a home….it was just _his_ place…not attached to anyone else and definitely not a place that he would ever consider “happy.”  It was as utilitarian as it could possibly be with its mismatch of furniture and bare walls. 

 

That was how it was in his timeline, anyway. 

 

Now, his apartment wasn’t just _his_ place, it was _their_ place…his and Lucy’s.  It was warm and inviting.  The mismatch of furniture had been replaced by pieces both comfortable and functional.  His bare walls were now filled with happy photos, art, and vintage maps.  The updated lighting, the curtains, the greenery…all served to take his once gloomy apartment from utilitarian to cozy. But it was more than that – there was a feeling here now that had been absent before. What had once been a place that he dreaded coming back to, was now someplace he wanted to be.  Home is where the heart is, so the saying goes, and his heart was here. 

 

And it was all thanks to the woman lying next to him. 

 

Except she wasn’t next to him. 

 

And that’s when he realized what had woken him up. 

 

Smoke. 

 

_Shit._

Wyatt leapt out of bed and wrenched open the bedroom door, only to be assaulted by a wall of hazy, cough-inducing air.  “Lucy, what the hell?” he gasped as he made his way blindly into the kitchen where she was standing, dressed in his button-down shirt from the night before, unconcernedly cooking breakfast. 

 

Well…it had been cooked…several minutes ago. 

 

Now it was…

 

“I hope you like your eggs well-done” she smiled at him weakly.

 

“Oh…is that what we’re calling that?”  Wyatt asked with a dubious grin as he pried open a window and looked down at the browned slab of what he imagined used to be an omelet sitting in the frying pan.

 

“I was just about to start on the bacon…” Lucy stated proudly as she pulled out two pieces of very burnt toast from the smoking toaster. 

 

“No!” Wyatt said firmly as he pulled out another pan from the cabinet and gently moved her away from the stove. “I’ll take care of the bacon” He raised his eyebrows as he watched Lucy scrape off the blackened coat of charred bread into the sink.  “You do realize that there are settings for the toaster, right?”

 

“Yes,” Lucy said defensively, “I set it to toast.” She pointed defiantly at the appliance. 

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt said with a shake of his head, “that black icon?  That’s what your toast is going to look like when it comes out.” He picked up the charcoal colored piece of bread that had been sitting sadly on his plate. “You want this at like a 3 or 4…I don’t know anyone who goes to 10.”

 

“Then why do they have that setting on there?” Lucy asked irritably.

 

Wyatt bit his lip in amusement, “For people like you, I guess.”  He nudged her playfully as he began preparing the bacon. 

 

“I was trying to surprise you…guess that didn’t pan out too well.” She said with an apologetic shrug. 

 

“I wouldn’t say that,’ Wyatt answered with a grin, “I mean, I knew you couldn’t cook…but I had no idea you didn’t even know how to make toast.”.”

 

“Fine.” Lucy said with a defeated sigh.  “I guess I’ll go take a shower…before I burn down the apartment.”  Wyatt nodded at her, smiling as he began placing strips of baconin the frying pan. 

 

Wyatt salvaged what he could from what Lucy had already prepared.  He cut up the eggs and the bacon and found some potatoes in the pantry and began preparing and frying those as well.  He went to work setting out plates on the table and filling tumblers of milk and juice.  He stepped back and admired his handiwork…it looked like a proper meal…the first one, really in this, his (now their) apartment that he had experienced.  In his timeline, there was really no reason to make anything very elaborate as it was just him…and he certainly wasn’t in the habit of inviting people over.  He had always enjoyed cooking, though…and now as he stood over the plates putting the finishing touches on their meal, he realized how much he had missed _this_ ; making a home cooked meal for someone else.

 

His gaze shifted from the table onto the wall behind, to the photos that were hanging there.  So many pictures of which he had no memory…a day at the beach, an evening out together with Rufus and Jiya, a snapshot of them at the pier…their wedding. 

 

Wyatt’s heart sank as he looked at that photo.  Sure, he was married to Lucy…but he hadn’t lived through any of that…their engagement, their wedding…their honeymoon…if they even had one.  Technically, he supposed, other him had missed out on the engagement part too, since they had come back from 1962 surprised to find that he, and not Noah, was Lucy’s fiancé.  Still, Wyatt imagined, there had to be a time when that Wyatt and Lucy had decided to make their engagement real.  Did they just agree to make it official?  Did he propose again?  Or did they just jump from pretending into marriage after realizing how much they meant to each other?  Wyatt had no idea…and it bothered him.  He had missed all of this and he was bitterly sorry for it.  

 

He walked back to the kitchen to grab the salt and pepper for the table, his arm nudging the corner of the counter where Lucy had left her handbag and her phone.  Both tumbled off the counter and Wyatt stooped quickly to catch them before they landed on the floor.  He had managed to stop the phone, but his fingers only caught the flap of Lucy’s handbag.  As he attempted to return it to the counter, the weight of whatever was in her bag had cause the contents to spill out and tumble onto the floor; a small wallet and…her wedding rings. 

 

Wyatt scooped them up and held them in his hand with a smile.  He was so proud of those rings.  Every time he saw them, he contrasted them with the massive, gaudy rock that Noah had given her - the ring that was anything but Lucy.  These were delicate and vintage, capturing everything that made her the woman she was in their simple, elegant design.  Wyatt was about to set them out on the counter when he was struck with a thought. 

 

Who said he couldn’t relive the moments that he had lost?  Surely, he could recreate some memories that they could share together. He held the rings tightly in his fist and smiled to himself.  He would do it…he would propose all over again and they could renew their vows…people did that all the time, right?  That, at least, would put them both on a more equal footing with this marriage.  A fresh new start after all the mess he had made when he first walked through that door.  A way that he, this version of him, could commit to this Lucy and their unborn child.  They would have that shared memory, that shared moment instead of pictures and photos that were a constant reminder that he had never so much as gone on a date with Lucy before he had waltzed into his apartment married to her. 

 

With a plan forming in his mind, he tucked the rings securely in his coat pocket just as Lucy came out of the bathroom, dressed in her floral robe and a pair of slippers. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the table, “Wow, you really went above and beyond.”

 

Wyatt smirked as he pulled her chair out, “Well, it is the most important meal of the day, ma’am.”

 

As Lucy glanced down at her plate her mouth dropped in shock, “Wyatt, how on Earth were you able to make anything like this out of _those_ eggs?” 

 

He shrugged at her with a smirk, “Survival skills 101.  Believe me, I’ve had to survive off of worse than burnt eggs.”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes and the two of them tucked in for their first proper meal at home…together…at least for this version of Wyatt.  The sheer domesticity of it all, Lucy in her robe, Wyatt in his bare feet and pajama bottoms, he had definitely dived into the deep end of marital bliss and he couldn’t have been happier.  It struck him how two weeks ago he viewed this entire apartment as a betrayal of his love for Jessica, and now it was a testament of his love for Lucy.   How the hell could he have ever felt uncomfortable here?  It was definitely a far cry from the apartment in his timeline.  Wyatt had created his own personal prison of grief and guilt and made his apartment his literal one.  Seeing it in this new light with Lucy, he felt lighter, happier, more at peace, and certainly more at home than he had ever felt in this same space before. 

 

As they sat there enjoying Wyatt’s overhaul of Lucy’s breakfast snafu, he mused over the fact that it had been five years since he had actually shared a home cooked meal with anyone.  After Jessica’s death, he had no one that he spent holidays with…he usually volunteered for assignments so that he wouldn’t have to be forced to focus on how alone he was. Hell, he couldn’t even be sure that he had even eaten at his table in his timeline.  There had never been a need to…in fact, he wasn’t even sure why he had one.  Apart from using it as a makeshift desk, his table sat unused, unoccupied and it filled Wyatt with a sad regret, that in his timeline he had never reached out to Lucy or Rufus outside of work other than to meet at the bar.  Of course, his apartment there was filled with his research on Jessica’s murder…not exactly something that felt warm and inviting for guests.  Game nights, movie marathons…all out of the question because who could enjoy themselves with grim newspaper clippings adorning the walls? 

 

He frowned slightly as he realized that he had never really spent time with Lucy away from work, away from the missions, apart from a few nights of burning off steam with Rufus at the bar.  That, he thought determinedly, was going to have to change…especially if he was going to propose to her again – that couldn’t happen just anywhere or anytime, it needed to be special.     

 

‘Something on your mind, Wyatt?” Lucy asked with a raised eyebrow. 

 

Wyatt cleared his throat, “Oh no, it’s nothing…I was just kind of wondering,” he smirked, “would you…like to go on a date sometime?”

 

Lucy choked on her juice, “A date?” she laughed, “What for?”

 

“Well, I don’t know how to tell you this ma’am, seeing as we’re married and everything, but I have never had the pleasure of taking you out before.” 

 

Lucy nodded, “I see your point.”  She quirked her lip into a half smile, “We’re not exactly typical when compared to your everyday married couple, are we?  

 

Wyatt shook his head with a devilish grin, “Not that I mind, ma’am.”  He stood up with his empty plate and crossed into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “I kind of like the idea of knowing how the first date is going to pan out, relationship wise…takes some of the pressure off.” 

 

Lucy’s eyes widened in amusement as she got up to join him, “You sound pretty confident there, _sweetheart_.” She teased playfully, leaning on the counter, “You sure you can impress me?  You may be new at this, but I have quite a few Wyatt Logan dates under my belt.”

 

“Exactly.” Wyatt winked as he made his over to her. “Obviously, I did something right.”

 

Lucy smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist, “Okay, well…what did you have in mind?”  

 

Wyatt shook his head, “Oh no…I’m sorry, I’m afraid that’s top-secret information.  You’ll just have to wait and see, but I’m telling you right now, _baby doll_ , it’s going to blow your damn mind.”

 

Lucy was about to respond when a loud banging on their door caused them both to jump.  Wyatt positioned himself in front of Lucy and made his way tentatively to the door, only letting out a breath of relief when he heard Rufus’ voice calling through it frantically, “Wyatt!? Lucy!?  Are you guys in there!?”

 

Wyatt opened the door with an exasperated look on his face, “Rufus, what the hell?  You nearly gave me a heart attack.  You couldn’t call?”

 

“Why the hell do you think I’m here?  Do you have any idea how long we’ve been trying to get in touch with you!?”

 

Lucy scrambled over to her phone as Wyatt placed his hand over his eyes, “The phones, dammit.  I forgot.”

 

“Uh-huh.” said Rufus irritably, “I get that you two needed some alone time, but I hope it was worth the ass chewing you’re gonna get when we get to Mason.  You better be glad I came to get you, Agent Christopher was about to send a whole damn SWAT team!”

 

Lucy’s eyes shot up from her phone in alarm, “17 missed calls!  Oh my God, Rufus, what happened?”

 

“What do you think happened? Flynn.  He jumped this morning.  And then…after we couldn’t reach you we thought that maybe…let’s just say I was more than a little nervous thinking that I was going to have to save both of your asses with just Bam Bam for back up.  Don’t get me wrong, I love that dude, but he’s not you, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt and Lucy scrambled to get ready, throwing the dishes and pans in the sink, and running off to their bedroom to get dressed while Rufus continued to berate them for making them all worry over nothing.   Deciding it would be better to arrive all at once, the three of them piled into Rufus’ car and sped off to Mason Industries.  The had barely made it through the warehouse doors, when Jiya came sprinting up to them, “Oh good, you’re here!  He’s jumped again.”

 

“What?” Lucy exclaimed as she raced toward a very angry looking Agent Christopher…and a disappointed looking Bam Bam. 

 

“Where the hell have you two been? Have you any idea what you’ve put us through this morning?  We thought you had been killed or captured…I hope you thanked Mr. Carlin, here for offering to go check on you before we sent out the search parties” Agent Christopher reprimanded. Wyatt and Lucy stammered their apologies, but Agent Christopher impatiently waved them off, “There’s no time for that now, you might have noticed we have a bit of a situation here.”

 

Lucy nodded seriously, “When? Where?”

 

Agent Christopher sighed heavily as she pointed to the screen, “He just jumped to May 30, 1889, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  This morning it was November 1880, also Johnstown Pennsylvania” she looked at Lucy expectantly, “any idea what or who is so important in Johnstown?” 

 

Lucy blinked in confusion, “Well, May 30, 1889 is one day before the Johnstown flood” Lucy explained, “but I have no idea why he would be going there then.  I mean, to this day it is the deadliest flood in American history - over 2000 dead.”

 

“2000 dead!  From a flood?” Rufus exclaimed in astonishment.

 

“Well, unprecedented rainfall combined with a massive dam failure tends to make a bad situation worse.” Lucy shrugged. 

 

“Anything else significant?” Agent Christopher asked impatiently.   

 

Lucy bit her lip in thought, “It was also the first peace time effort for the American Red Cross…Clara Barton herself was there for months afterwards, providing shelter and relief to the victims.  But she doesn’t arrive until five days after the flood.”   

 

“Alright,” the Homeland Security agent sighed,“any idea why he jumped to that same location almost 10 years before?” 

 

“Maybe…” she ran her hand through her hair, “if memory serves the South Fork Dam’s integrity was called into question around that time, but…the report was ignored.”

 

“And so, Flynn was trying to change that?” Agent Christopher asked with a nod of her head, hoping that his motives might become clearer now that Lucy was here.

 

“I don’t know,” Lucy shrugged, “I mean, why jump from there to the day before the flood?  It doesn’t really make any sense.  If he had managed to change something about the report, then why show up a day before the flood?  It won’t even start raining until late in the afternoon.”

 

Agent Christopher checked her watch, “Well we don’t have a lot of time, we can’t risk letting him change history before he jumps again.  I need you all in wardrobe, stat.” she began making her way to her makeshift office in the upstairs conference room before Wyatt stopped her.

 

“Is Lucy okay to travel? I mean…”

 

Agent Christopher looked at him with raised eyebrows, “You want her to stay behind?”

 

“Well, no, of course not” said Wyatt as Lucy shot him a withering stare, “it’s just that she’s…in a delicate condition.”

 

“Delicate condition? Really, Wyatt?”  Lucy sighed sardonically.  “What is this, 1912?” 

 

Bam Bam perked up, “No, I think Wyatt has a point.  You can never be too careful.”

 

“Oh, who asked you, Bam Bam?”  Lucy spat out irritably causing Dave Baumgardner to shrink back in his chair with a disappointed huff. 

 

“Lucy, you know what I mean…I know you’ve been doing these trips and you’ve been doing great…but this last time you were…well, you know how you were.” Wyatt explained defensively.  “As much as I hate to admit it, Bam Bam is right, I just don’t want to put you at risk.”

 

At Wyatt’s acknowledgement, Bam Bam’s eyes lit up once more, “Great, I’ll just go get dressed then…” he made to stand up but one death glare from Lucy had him sitting back in his chair again. 

 

“Wyatt,” she huffed out in frustration, “we were running for miles in that oppressive heat and I got dehydrated, that’s all.  The medical team has been very thorough with me…I get better care right now than if I had been doing this outside of time travel.”  Agent Christopher nodded in solemn agreement.  “I understand why you’re worried, I do, but this is not the middle of the summer in New York, running from burning buildings and lynch mobs. There isn’t anything that is supposed to happen today…we’re just going to find out what Flynn is up to and come back. You don’t need to worry.”

 

“Yeah…but –“ Wyatt and Bam Bam began in unison. 

 

“Look, I have no idea what Flynn is up to….so if you want to risk him changing history while you research all there is to know about the Johnstown flood, be my guest.” Lucy said as she threw up her hand in exasperation.  “But just remember,” she continued in a voice full of emotion, “what happened the last time you went on a mission without me.”

 

Wyatt swallowed hard. Yeah…he remembered.  The thought of losing her, losing this, losing them was unthinkable.  But what could they do?  He wasn’t a doctor, but he was pretty damn sure that as her pregnancy progressed time traveling would be even more uncomfortable than it was for her now. Whether they liked it or not she was going to have to stay home at some point and hell if he was going to risk losing the best damn thing that had ever happened to him. 

 

He looked seriously at Lucy, “We’re not going to be able to keep doing this with the baby coming…you realize that, right?” Lucy nodded.  He turned to Agent Christopher, “I want a replacement for her, Bam Bam replaces me.” Lucy began to protest, but Wyatt cut her off, “there is no way in hell I’m going to risk walking into another timeline with you married to somebody else or worse, you not even remembering who I am.  If the timeline changes for one of us, it’s going to change for both of us…but hopefully not at all, deal?”

 

Lucy stared at him, hardly knowing what to say.  She knew that staying behind from the mission could mean that her reality could change without her even realizing it.  She could very well forget about Amy.  Hell, Amy had been on her mind since she found out she was pregnant.  If the timeline had shifted so much on a mission where she, Lucy, had forgotten her sister, Amy would be lost forever – no one on Earth would remember that she even existed.  But Wyatt was right, she wouldn’t be able to keep doing this physically for much longer and if her reality changed while he was away, how much more difficult would it be for him?  Tears brimmed her eyes as she nodded slowly, “Deal.”

 

Agent Christopher shook her head thoughtfully, “I’ll start looking into a temporary historian…I hope you’ll understand that we will be expecting you to stay on for consultation and input until you are ready to make the trips yourself again.”

 

“Of course,” Lucy said solemnly, “And who knows?  Maybe we’ll finally stop Flynn before the baby is born and we won’t have to worry about this anymore.  We can just enjoy the present and not have to worry about the past.”

 

Wyatt kissed her hand and hugged her close, “Sounds good to me, ma’am.”

 

“Sounds good to me, too!” exclaimed Bam Bam with a wide grin on his face.  He was standing right next to them and Lucy and Wyatt both looked over at him in bewilderment.  “But…I’m guessing you really don’t care about _my_ opinion.  I’ll just…read some more mission reports.  Gotta get ready to take over for you, after all.”  He backed away from them with a grin and a wink, “I’ll see ya when you get back…congrats again, on the whole parenthood thing…it’s just…it’s super.”

 

They watched him go in stunned silence, still holding onto one another before they were finally brought back to their senses by Agent Christopher.  “I hate to rush you two lovebirds, but we’ve already missed one opportunity to stop Flynn…” she began, but Wyatt and Lucy waved her off with apologetic smiles and headed off to change.

 

“Hey, don’t you need to go to medical?” Wyatt asked with concern as they reached the locker roms.

 

Lucy paused as she opened the door, “No, I’m fine.” He gave her a doubtful look.  “Wyatt, I was just seen last night…twice.  It’s fine.  I promise you, I’ll have them check me when we get back.  We’re already running short on time anyway.”

 

“You’re sure?”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath, “Yes, Wyatt.  I’m sure that getting seen every day is providing more than enough pre-natal care for me and our baby.  Stop worrying, it’s going to be fine.” She quirked her eyebrow at him and added, “Besides, if I were you, I’d be more concerned about this big date you’re planning.  You know I’m going to hold you to an impossibly high standard since you’re so confident about impressing me, right?”

 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, ma’am.” he smirked as he disappeared into his changing room. 

 

Within minutes, Lucy, Wyatt and Rufus emerged into the launch area, dressed in their Victorian garband ready to go. 

 

Wyatt smirked and tipped his hat at Lucy as she took his offered arm with a grin, “May I escort you to the LifeBoat, ma’am?”

 

Rufus rolled his eyes, “I see you’re dead set on being disgustingly sappy this trip?  Death by cheese?  Is that how I’m going to go?”

 

“What the hell do you want from us, Rufus?  Last time you were whining that we needed to be more respectable and here I am trying to be the very definition of respectability and you’re still complaining.” Wyatt grumbled as he hoisted himself up into the time machine. 

 

“No, there is a difference between being respectable and being cheesy.  This definitely lands on the side of cheesy.”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes as she took Wyatt’s hand and attempted to make her way into the LifeBoat, struggling once more with her 19thcentury skirts.  “I thought it was very gentlemanly, Wyatt.” she gasped as she attempted but failed to enter the time machine, her tight skirt hindering her leg movement considerably.

 

“Of course, you did.” Rufus observed.  “You women eat up all of that romantic garbage…kissing hands, opening doors…” Rufus muttered as he waited to enter the time machine behind Lucy who was now on her third attempt to enter the LifeBoat.  “you two may look the part of a prim and proper Victorian couple, but I know better.”

 

“Dammit.” Lucy finally huffed out as she wrenched her skirts up above her thighs, completely exposing her pantalets.  Thus unhindered, she hoisted her exposed leg up onto the time machine, while Wyatt gripped her arm and finally made it through the hatch.

 

Rufus’ eyes widened as he raised his eyebrows, “I rest my case.  That was pretty damn unladylike like, Lucy.  I’m pretty sure you’d be chucked out of decent society for that move.”

 

“Oh, what do you care Rufus?” Lucy hissed, “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.  You just saw me in my underwear on the last mission, for heaven’s sake.” she grumbled as Rufus immediately hopped in after her.  

 

“Exactly.  You two aren’t known for being beacons of propriety.” Lucy and Wyatt rolled their eyes at him as he clambered into his seat.  “Hey, I’m just trying to keep things real around here -  like my momma always used to say, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.”” Rufus mumbled as he plopped down in the pilot seat.

 

“Gee, thanks Rufus” muttered Wyatt as he adjusted his harness.

 

“Well, if all of these layers equal refinement, I’d rather be unrefined.” Lucy argued as she leaned back in her seat.  “Do you have any idea how uncomfortable a corset and a bustle is?”   

 

Wyatt smirked at her as he adjusted her seat belt, “I kind of like the bustle.”

 

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, “You would…but you aren’t the one wearing it, are you?”  She sighed, “Let’s just hope we can figure out what Flynn is up to before that thunderstorm rolls in…I really don’t want to be slogging back to the LifeBoat in all of this…besides, these shoes aren’t exactly made for trudging through the mud.”   

 

“As if I would let a lady like yourself trudge through the mud.” Wyatt said with a side glance towards Rufus, “I’m not _that_ unrefined.”

 

 “Keep telling yourself that, Delta Force, I don’t remember you acting the part of chivalrous hero when we were running through the woods in the middle of the damn French and Indian War.  Hell, you left Lucy in your dust when Flynn’s guys blew a hole in the LifeBoat.”

 

“Yeah, so I could kill them and take the Mothership.” Wyatt said in exasperation, “I seem to remember you racing me there, Rufus, so you don’t exactly have room to talk.”  He smirked at Lucy, “Besides, all of my chivalrous energy was being spent on exercising self-control.”

 

“Oh really?” said Lucy raising her eyebrows, “That’s news.  I thought you were angry with me on that trip?”

 

He shrugged, “I might have been a little put out…but that doesn’t mean I didn’t notice things.”

 

“What things?” Lucy asked as Rufus hummed loudly with his fingers in his ears. 

 

Wyatt scoffed, “Let’s just say you may not like wearing a corset, but I certainly don’t mind seeing you in them.”

 

Lucy smiled at Wyatt, “So my pain is your pleasure, is that it?”  Wyatt breathed out a protest, but Lucy leaned forward and muttered over Rufus’ continued humming, “I suppose it’s only fair, seeing you with your shirt off after you were shot in 1865 was definitely a highlight of that mission.”

 

Wyatt smiled broadly at her, “Glad to oblige you, ma’am…even if I was in danger of dying of sepsis.”

 

“Are you two done yet? Rufus shouted with his fingers still in his ears.

 

“Yes!” they both answered loudly. 

 

“Thank God” he breathed out as he punched in the last of the coordinates.  “You know, I’m really starting to regret that I was such a big advocate for you two happening.  If I had known that it was going to make things this uncomfortable in the LifeBoat, I would’ve kept my damn mouth shut.”

 

“Nothing is stopping you keeping your damn mouth shut now.” Wyatt sneered under his breath.

 

Rufus glanced over at him with a thoughtful frown, “You know, you’re right…but remember when you get in _my_ time machine, you two are on the damn clock.  No more of your suggestive talk…it’s hell being the third wheel, ya know.”

 

“Sorry, Rufus.” Lucy smiled as he waved her apology away. 

 

“Don’t you dare apologize to him, Lucy.” Wyatt remonstrated.  “Remember what I told you in 1863?  He deserves all the PDA we can throw at him…like he said, it’ll teach him to mind his own damn business.”

 

“Kind of hard to mind my own damn business when you’re sitting two feet away from me, isn’t it?” snapped Rufus. 

 

“What is with you, man?” Wyatt asked with incredulity, before realization spread across his face, “Did you not eat this morning?”

 

“No.  I was too busy tracking your asses down.” Rufus spat out as Wyatt and Lucy raised their eyes at each other. 

 

“Oh, this is going to be a fun trip” muttered Wyatt.  “Lucy, do you have anything for Rufus’ hangries hiding in all of those layers of yours?  A bag of pretzels? Peanuts?  A snickers bar?”

 

“What was that?” said Rufus with a huff.

 

“Nothing.” said Lucy with a warning glance towards Wyatt.  “Let’s just get a move on so we can get back here in time for dinner, shall we? We’ll even take you out Rufus, deal?”

 

Wyatt looked absolutely opposed to that idea but Lucy gave him a meaningful glare and shook her head firmly as Rufus answered “Sounds good to me” moments before the LifeBoat sprang to life and sent them off to 1889.


	23. Chapter 23

The Lifeboat materialized on a grassy knoll on the edge of a steep and tree lined mountain side. From the open hatch the prospect of the valley below was sweeping and beautiful. The convergence of two rivers wound around a bend where the town of Johnstown was tucked away in the shadow of the Allegheny Mountains.  The air was cool and heavy, indicating the coming thunderstorm that Lucy knew would help cause the complete destruction of the town below them.

 

“Feels like a storm is coming” Wyatt muttered as he leapt down from the time machine.

 

“You aren’t wrong” Lucy answered as he gently lifted her from the open hatch and set her down on the ground beside him.  “The storm will begin this afternoon, right after their Memorial Day parade.”  She pointed to the town, “As you can see, it’s nestled here in this deep valley, it’s already in a flood plain.  This storm will drop so much rain in such a short period of time, by tomorrow morning the city will already be partially flooded, 3 feet deep in some places.”  She straightened her skirts as Rufus eased himself out of the Lifeboat, “In fact, most people will already be sheltering on their second stories when the dam bursts and washes away the town.”

 

“Well, I guess that’s kind of lucky thing, isn’t it?”  Rufus asked. “At least they are prepared?”

 

Lucy shook her head solemnly, “Not necessarily.  There’s 20 million tons of water that will come barreling down on top of them, many of the people die because they are _in_ their homes when the walls collapse on top of them.  Most of those that survive are on their rooftops or they cling to whatever they can find and travel downstream with the flood waters.”

 

“It’s hard to believe,” said Rufus as he looked down at the sprawling factory town in front of them, “by tomorrow night, most of this won’t be here anymore.”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Then we had better get a move on.  I sure as hell don’t want to be stuck spending the night here if that storm is as bad as you say it’s going to be.  Besides” he said with a hushed voice and a wink to Lucy, “we have a date to get to tonight.”

 

“Oh, was that tonight?” Lucy whispered back in an apologetic voice.  “I didn’t mean to ruin your plans with that promise to Rufus.  I’m sure he’ll understand if we just explain to him…”

 

‘I’m not explaining anything to him, especially not right now when he’s so damn cranky.  We’ll just swing by a McDonald’s or something and buy him a happy meal before we drop him back off at his place.”

 

“I can hear you, ya know.” Rufus said loudly causing them both to jump.  “And if you two think that you’re gonna be able to buy me off with a happy meal, you’re out of your damn minds especially since I drove your asses into work this morning.”

 

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that” Wyatt said with a derisive grin.  “How about a Big Mac?”

 

Rufus frowned at him, unsure of whether he wanted to flip Wyatt off for being so smug or give into the promise of a free meal.  After inwardly battling with himself for a few moments, his hunger won out as he narrowed his eyes at Wyatt, “Is that with or without the fries?”

 

“Whatever you want, man” said Wyatt with a shrug. 

 

Rufus bit his lip in thought, “Throw in an apple pie and you’ve got a deal.”  Rufus said as he brushed past the two of them, “Who wants to be the third wheel on your date, anyway?  I get enough of that at work.”

 

“Oh Rufus, we wouldn’t have left Jiya out” Lucy began, but at one withering stare from Wyatt she pursed her lips together and muttered “Oh right…sorry.”

 

The three of them made their way down the precarious hillside, taking care to watch for hidden rocks or tree roots that might cause them to tumble…more particularly Lucy. She wasn’t always known for her sure –footing and now battling 19thcentury skirts and undergarments, trekking through the woods on a decline was almost a perfect recipe for disaster. Wyatt held onto her arm throughout their descent, while Rufus kept a wide berth from the two of them, lest either one of them trip and fall and take him with them.   

 

And fall, Lucy did…well, almost. 

 

They had just managed to get themselves through a particularly rocky section of the hillside when her foot caught in the hem of her skirt and she pitched forward.  Wyatt tugged her back towards him causing her to spin slightly until she was facing him, flush against his chest, his arms around her waist.   

 

“You okay?” Wyatt muttered, his lips dangerously close to hers.

 

“Yeah…thanks.” Lucy muttered breathlessly.

 

Rufus, who had turned suddenly to see what all the fuss had been about actually did fall and was lamenting the large rip down the side of his pants when he looked up to see Wyatt and Lucy wrapped around each other in a tight embrace, noses touching and goofy smiles planted firmly on both of their faces. 

 

“You have got to be kidding me.” he spat out in exasperation.  “I’m fine, by the way!  Just have a big ass hole in my pants,” he averted his eyes as he waved his hand and turned to walk back down the hillside alone, “but you two just keep doing…whatever it is you’re doing.  It’s not like we have a job to do or anything”

 

Wyatt shrugged innocently, “What exactly are you implying, Rufus?  Are you seriously suggesting that I should have let my wife…my _pregnant_ wife fall down this hill?”

 

“Looked a little more than just keeping her steady, if you ask me.”  Rufus huffed out as he wiped the dirt of his hands and stormed away.    

 

 Lucy gave Wyatt an apologetic shrug as they broke free, his hand gently gripping her arm as they continued to make their way down the hillside after Rufus, “C’mon Rufus, don’t be mad.  I’d do the same thing for you.  It’s not my fault you both tripped at the same time.”  Wyatt called after him. 

 

Rufus looked back at him with a withering stare.  “Don’t give me that, sh-“ he began, but once again tripped himself up on a rock and began hurtling forward.  This time, however, Wyatt dropped his grip on Lucy’s arm and quickly raced over to grab Rufus around the waist to steady him before he crashed to the ground. 

 

Wyatt held Rufus close to him mimicking the embrace he had just shared with Lucy, “You okay, man?” he asked with a devilish smirk on his face.

 

Rufus gaped at Wyatt as he held him close before wriggling out of his arms and frantically pushing himself away “Get your damn hands off me!”

 

“What’s the matter, Rufus? I thought you didn’t want to fall on your ass again?” Wyatt yelled after him, but Rufus was double timing it down the hillside muttering angrily as he gripped his ruined pants leg.   

 

Once on level ground, the three of them made their way into the town, Rufus still in a foul mood, but noticeably less prone to point out that Lucy and Wyatt were just a little too close to one another for being “on the clock.”  Satisfied with this new development, Wyatt looped his arm through Lucy’s and landed a peck on her cheek as they made their way down Main Street. Patriotic decorations hung from the windows and across the center of the street in preparation for the Memorial Day celebration.  All around them townspeople were gathering along the streets, happily preparing for the afternoon’s celebrations as Wyatt, Lucy and Rufus walked on in search of Garcia Flynn.

 

“This is so surreal” muttered Rufus.  “You just want to tell these people to run for their damn lives.”

 

Lucy nodded, “I know, but they wouldn’t listen, even if we tried.  There had been warnings about the dam for years, so many times when they were told that the dam failure was imminent…but it never happened so they –“

 

“Got lulled into a false sense of security.” finished Wyatt with a resigned sigh. 

 

“Exactly,” Lucy breathed out as she pointed to a building across from them. “That building there? That’s Alma Hall.  Almost 265 people will take refuge there…in fact, one man, James Walters…he was an attorney, he is carried there by the flood waters and actually thrown into the window of his own office.

 

“That’s lucky.” Rufus said with raised eyebrows.  “What are the odds?”

 

Lucy nodded solemnly, “But others weren’t so lucky.  One woman, Anna Maxwell, will lose her husband and all seven of her children in the flood.  She’s the only survivor in her family.  Many who survive the flood will be trapped there” Lucy pointed to a large stone bridge crossing the Little Conemaugh River, “at the Stone Bridge.  It’s amazing that it withstands all of the pressure it comes under, what with the torrent of water and all of the debris that crashes up against it.”  Lucy sighed, “But even for the people that survived to this point, they were still in danger.  The debris field catches fire soon after the flood waters abate, turning this whole area by the bridge into a raging inferno.  The people who couldn’t get out were burned alive.”

 

“How many people?” Wyatt asked grimly. 

 

“In total? The flood kills 2,209 people…upwards of 80 are killed in the fire.” 

 

“So, is there anyone who survives the flood that Flynn might be here to target?  Anyone who he wouldn’t want to survive?”

 

Lucy frowned at Wyatt’s question.  “No.” she bit her lip in thought, “There is Victor Heiser, he becomes a doctor…actually develops the first effective treatment against leprosy…over two million lives are saved because of him.”

 

“So, Flynn could be targeting him because he doesn’t want leprosy to be treated?” Rufus asked with raised eyebrows. 

 

“I don’t know.” Lucy muttered dejectedly.  “I mean, it _could_ be that.”  She shook her head in exasperation, “I’m sorry, I just don’t understand if _that_ is his reasoning, why he would come here twice.  It doesn’t make sense.” Lucy looked out at the town around her, all the people around her oblivious to the danger that would soon destroy their lives. She sighed as she muttered under her breath, “All the horrors that hell could wish, such was the price that was paid for fish.”

 

‘What was that?” Rufus asked as leaned towards her. 

 

“Huh?”  Lucy jumped, “Oh, nothing…just a line from a poem about the flood.”

 

“Fish? What do fish have to do with a dam failure?” Wyatt asked as they sat down on a park bench.  

 

“Oh everything” Lucy said as she sat down beside him. “The dam was owned by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club.  It’s located about 14 miles upstream.” She pointed towards the rising horizon beyond the town.  “Members included some of Pittsburgh’s wealthiest and most powerful people, Andrew Carnegie was a member, Andrew Mellon, Henry Clay Frick.  The original founder of the club was a man named Benjamin Franklin Ruff and let’s just say he was more about aesthetics and sport than safety. He built up this high-end resort on Lake Conemaugh providing lots of sports fishing and boating opportunities for these families from the big city…gave them a private play area away from everything.”

 

Lucy got up and began pacing, “When he purchased the dam and the property around the lake, it was already in bad shape.  Benjamin Franklin Ruff wasn’t an engineer and didn’t know the first thing about dams so he sold off the discharge pipes that would allow the lake to drain should the water levels get too high.  The dam itself was already crumbling.  He made some very shoddy repairs…using horse manure, hay…really anything and everything he could get his hands on to strengthen the dam, but those repairs, as you can imagine, weren’t very effective.  To make matters worse, the Club even lowered the middle section of the dam breastwork by four feet to better serve the carriages that passed over it to get to the club house.” 

 

“Okay, so that’s like in total violation of every safety code known in existence.” Said Rufus in shock. “How the hell did they get away with that?”

 

“Laws weren’t the same as they are now and there was no government oversight.” Lucy explained. 

 

“That place sounds like a Rittenhouse County Club.” muttered Wyatt.

 

Lucy shrugged, “It might very well have been.  Take Henry Clay Frick, for example.  He was one of the main proprietors of the Club and good friends and business partners with Andrew Carnegie.  Three years from now he will be heavily involved in the the Homestead Steel Strike of 1892.   Frick sends an army…and actual army of Pinkerton detectives to fight the strikers. There’s a huge battle that rages for days.  The Pinkertons surrender and then the state militia is called in.  He built a fence around the factory, the strikers called it Fort Frick…he was just brutal. In fact, public opinion was with the strikers until an anarchist named Andrew Berkman tried to assassinate Frick in his office about a month into the strike.  The attack swayed public opinion and it shut down the riots, the rioters lost everything.”

 

“Okay, so a bunch of rich assholes who are probably Rittenhouse are all members of this Club…and you don’t think that Flynn is here to attack one of them?” Wyatt suggested.

 

“That’s just it.” sighed Lucy as she sat back down.  “No one of record like that was at the Club during the flood, so I don’t understand why he is here now.  Flynn’s jump to 1880 at least half-way makes sense.”

 

‘How?” Wyatt and Rufus asked at once. 

 

Lucy sighed as she pointed towards a series of buildings and smoke stacks across the river, “Do you see that factory over there?  That’s the Cambria Iron Works.  The owner was a man named David Morrell, he joined the club because he was highly concerned about the dam, he wanted to keep an eye on things.  I mean, obviously, he was concerned since his business is right here in the shadow of the dam.  If it failed, it would ruin his business not to mention his workers would also be directly affected…their homes, their lives…all at stake.  So, in 1880 he sent an engineer named John Fulton to meet with Benjamin Franklin Ruff to see what state the dam was in.  He offered to pay for any repairs that might be required.” 

 

“So, I’m guessing either Fulton was a shitty engineer or this Morrell guy decided he didn’t want to foot the bill after all?” Rufus asked with eyebrows raised

 

Lucy shook her head, “Neither, Fulton met with Benjamin Franklin Ruff and gave him his professional opinion, told him the dam was unsound…sent copies of his report to the top Club members…they did nothing.  And then almost ten years later, one of the biggest thunderstorms ever recorded passed through…or _will_ pass through later this afternoon -”

 

“And tomorrow the dam is gonna fail.”  Rufus shook his head as he finished Lucy’s thought.  So, this Benjamin Ruff guy…is he gonna catch hell when all of this literally goes to hell?”

 

“No, he died two years ago in 1887.  And David Morrell, the owner of the Iron Works who sent the engineer?   He died four years ago in 1885.” Lucy said bitterly.  “So that’s what I don’t understand…if none of that has changed, then why is Flynn here?

 

“Well, who is running the club now, since that Benjamin Franklin guy is dead?  Somebody has to be in charge, right?  Wyatt asked. 

 

Lucy nodded, “Yes, Colonel Elias Unger…but he had only just taken ownership of it.  He desperately tries to build up the dam when this storm hits, but it was too little too late.  Cracks that had already formed in the dam will leak and there won’t be a thing that can be done to stop it . Without drainage pipes to help divert the excess water, the strain will be too much, the dam will collapse and 20 million ton of water and debris will obliterate this whole valley.  Lucy said with a sigh as she looked out at the town, the street filled with people excited for the coming parade.  “You know, the entire wave will pass in 10 minutes? Just 10 minutes to destroy so much.   

 

So, this Colonel guy was left to deal with the failure of the jackass who came before him, is that it?” asked Wyatt.

 

Lucy shrugged, “Yes and no…obviously, there was a lot of anger directed at him and the whole Club but they are legally exonerated by the courts.”

 

“How?” asked Rufus gaping, “You just said that they ignored the safety reports.  They owned the dam, right?” 

 

“Yes.” Lucy said as she began pacing again, “but you have to understand, this Club’s membership included some of the most powerful and richest people in the country.  These were men who didn’t just belong to the same club and social group, they worked together. Philander C. Knox, for example, was Carnegie and Frick’s corporate lawyer who also happened to be a member of the club, and he is the one who actually defends the club against litigation for negligence.”

 

“Okay, so they’re rich and powerful assholes, you still have a report saying that they had a faulty dam they did nothing about.” argued Wyatt. 

 

Lucy nodded in agreement, “I know, but the whole thing was sort of glossed over.  They donated money to the relief effort, helped rebuild buildings, you know, the usual charitable stuff…but they made it a point not speak about the dam, the Club or the disaster, most never even set foot in Johnstown…and the courts sided with them, said the dam break wasn’t negligence on their part.”

 

“How the hell did they figure that?” asked Rufus incredulously.  

 

She shrugged, “The courts ruled that it was an act of…”

 

Lucy stopped mid pace with a gasp as a look of horror spread across her face.

 

“What’s wrong, Lucy?” Wyatt asked.

 

“No…” she muttered as she brought her hand to her mouth, “no he…he wouldn’t…he couldn’t.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows, “Um…Lucy?  You wanna fill us in here?  What did the courts rule this dam break as?

 

Lucy turned slowly to look at her two companions, “An act of God.” she said in an almost whisper.

 

Wyatt exchanged looks with Rufus, “What does that –“ he began but Lucy frantically cut him off,  “We need to get to the telegraph office…NOW.”

 

Before Wyatt could even register what was happening, Lucy was already running through crowds of people. “Lucy!   Lucy!  What the…Lucy!”  Wyatt called after her.  He paused as he allowed a large family to pass and then took off at a sprint until he caught up with her.  He would never understand how she could move so fast in the torturous footwear she wore. “Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?”

 

“I think I know why Flynn is here.” she sobbed as she searched the building signs desperately.   “I think it has something to do with what we talked about in 1863, before you came back with those soldiers.”  Lucy shook her head guiltily, “I told him instead of killing through time, that…that maybe he could get Rittenhouse to make better choices…if they were faced with the consequences of their actions that perhaps they might, change their minds.”

 

Rufus gaped at her, “Lucy, you did what?  I thought you were all about protecting history?”

 

“I know, Rufus!  I was hot and tired and you know how Flynn is…” she complained.  “I thought that maybe I could change his mind about doing what he’s doing…murdering his way through history.”

 

“So, what does that have to do with why he is here?” Rufus countered.

 

“Don’t you see?” Lucy cried with desperation in her voice, “He came here in 1880, he probably told them what would happen and they didn’t listen.  That much we know, because Flynn came here and history hasn’t changed.” Wyatt and Rufus nodded at her as they all crossed the street towards the Western Union office.  “Those men…the Club members are able to escape the legal consequences of their negligence because the court ruled this dam break an act of God…because of the _rain_ …not because of any fault of theirs.” Lucy cried frantically.    

 

“So, you’re thinking…” Wyatt looked at her puzzled before realization dawned on him, “Holy shit, Lucy are you saying that Flynn is gonna try to blow this thing early!?”

 

But Lucy was already racing through the door of the Western Union office, desperately attempting to send a message to the South Fork Country Club.  To her horror, she discovered that the lines were down.  She turned to face Wyatt, “Flynn.  He must have cut the wires.” she gasped.

 

“Or the dam has already broken.  How long did you say it took for the water to reach Johnstown?” Wyatt asked grimly.

 

“I didn’t.” Lucy said as she swallowed hard.  It takes almost an hour for the water to reach Johnstown…it takes out two villages in the meantime.”  She held her head in her hands, “Oh my God Wyatt, all of these people.  It will be my fault.  It will be all my fault.  He’s doing this to prove a point.”

 

Wyatt gripped her shoulders, “Listen to me, Lucy.  If Flynn is going to blow this dam, it is not your fault, do you understand me?  That’s on him.  No one told him to be a murdering asshole, least of all you.” 

 

She nodded as tears sprang to her eyes.  She turned to the clerk, “Please, the South Fork Dam is going to break.  You need to get as many people to safety as you possibly can.  Can you send out a warning, or…something?”

 

Rufus and Wyatt were both taken aback when the man chuckled at her, “They’ve been saying that for years, miss.  H’aint ever happened yet.”

 

“Doesn’t mean it won’t happen” spat out Wyatt.  “You need to listen to her…send out a message, get these people to safety.”

 

The clerk shook his head good-naturedly at him, “You big city-folk, always jumpy.  Why don’t you go out and enjoy the parade?  I was just about to head out there myself.” And with that, he ushered them out of the door and back into the street. 

 

Lucy was in tears now as she ran down the street, begging for people to get to safety, but she was either ignored, laughed out, or roughly pushed out of the way.  She looked around helplessly.  There were people everywhere.  Women, children, their faces awash in excitement as a band marched down the street.  “Wyatt,” she cried miserably, “how can we let this happen?”

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt pleaded, “we’ve done all we can, if Flynn is really going to blow that dam then we need to get the hell out of here before he does.”    

 

She nodded weakly and reluctantly followed Wyatt and Rufus away from the town and back towards the LifeBoat.  They had only made it one block away from Main Street when they heard an unearthly sound that paralyzed them with fear. 

 

‘Oh my God.” Lucy whimpered as she stared at Wyatt’s panic-stricken face.

 

It sounded like a hundred freight trains barreling down upon them.  The screams of the townspeople were almost completely swallowed up in the roar that was filling the entire valley.  With one quick move, Wyatt grabbed Lucy by the wrist and kicked open the door of the nearest house.  Grabbing Lucy by the waist, he hauled her inside, taking the stairs two at a time until they were on the second floor.  “Where’s Rufus?”  Lucy screamed as Wyatt froze looking around desperately to see that Rufus was nowhere in sight. 

 

Shit. 

 

There was no time.  As much as Wyatt wanted to turn back and look for their pilot, he knew they were already in a dangerous situation; one that was literally life and death.  He urged Lucy forward with a quavering voice, “We’ll find him afterwards, we can’t look now. C’mon Lucy we need to get on the roof.”

 

They were almost to the third story when the wave hit.  It crashed into the house with such a force that Wyatt felt the foundation move. Lucy and Wyatt were both slammed into the wall as water poured in through the windows, quickly filling the house.  He could see the panic in Lucy’s eyes and knew that she was reliving one of the worst moments in her life as the water quickly filled the space around them. They struggled up the last stairs to the top floor as water rushed in on them, Wyatt held onto Lucy desperately as the house groaned around them.   

 

“Wyatt!” Lucy cried out in a shaky voice.  “What are we going to do?”

 

“We can’t stay here, we’re either going to drown or this house is going to collapse on top of us.” Swimming now, to the large picture window, Wyatt kicked out the glass and wrapped his arm around Lucy.  “Climb out, don’t let go of the house, Lucy…get to the roof.  I’ve got you.  I’m right behind you.”

 

Her head almost hitting the ceiling as she treaded the water that was pouring in through the windows, she nodded as she gripped onto the side of the house.  The torrent, however, was so strong and filled with more than just water, she could do little else than grip tightly to the window frame. Entire homes swept past them, locomotive engines, trees - it wasn’t just a wave of water, no; it was a force that was taking more and more with it as it made its way down the valley.  Wyatt scrambled out of the window and perched on the ledge next to Lucy, gripping the side of the house desperately, but soon, the house began to groan and shift.

 

‘Shit.” breathed Wyatt as he felt the window ledge buckle slightly beneath him as the house lurched sideways. 

 

He held onto Lucy as he attempted to help her get to the roof, but it was no use.  Lucy stretched her arm up to grasp onto the roof, only to find herself being pulled away by the raging flood waters.  “I can’t reach it.” she gasped as Wyatt wrapped his arm around her waist once more, anchoring them both with his other arm securely wrapped around the window casing.  The current was too strong and Wyatt could tell that the house was not going to last much longer.    

 

Desperate now, Wyatt switched places with Lucy and clambered on top of the roof, as the house lurched again. Wyatt quickly flattened himself down on the roof and turned to give an arm up to Lucy, bracing himself as best as he could against the chimney.  Again, Lucy tried to reach him, but only her fingers could brush against his hands. “I can’t reach, Wyatt.” she cried.

 

Hang on, Lucy!  I’m coming.”  Wyatt shouted as he began clambering back down towards her. Gripping the eave with one hand and extending his other to Lucy, he pulled her up out of the water with everything he had, her water laden layers serving as heavy weights on his already fatigued arm.  They had just clambered up onto the roof together when with one sickening jolt, the house pitched forward into the flood.  Wyatt was thrown into the raging water.  He could hear Lucy’s screams and sobs as water thundered around him.  Desperate, he reached out and grasped onto the passing piece of roof and dug his fingernails into the water soaked shingles. Using all of the strength he could muster, he inched his way up onto the makeshift raft.  Just when he thought he couldn’t hang on anymore, he felt a hand close around his wrist.  “I’ve got you.” Lucy called out.  With a breath of relief, he pulled himself out of the water and onto the relative safety of the roof, but that small victory was short lived.  No sooner had he managed to scramble up next to her, then their raft slammed into the side of a rolling barn.   The force of that movement flung Wyatt to one side and Lucy to another.   He scrambled to get to her but found to his horror that the roof had broken apart and she was now too far out of his reach.

 

“Lucy!” Wyatt called to her, but there was nothing either of them could do.  The current was sending her further downstream as she clutched franticly to the piece of roof that was now her only source of safety in this madness.

 

“Wyatt!” Lucy screamed again as he slipped off of his perch on the small corner of roof he had been clinging to and found himself underwater. Never letting go of his grip on the edge of that roof, Wyatt managed to right himself after a few tense moments of the water pounding like thunder in his ears.   Soaked and panting, he scrambled on top of his makeshift raft and found himself riding the wave downstream but discovered that he could not see Lucy anywhere.  “Lucy!” he shouted in desperation, but he might as well have been screaming into a void. The roar of the water, the crashing of buildings and debris…there was no way she would be able to hear him if she wasn’t right beside him.  Dammit. That brief moment that he had spent in the water been long enough to lose sight of her in the massive swell of destruction that surrounded him an all sides.

 

Riding the current through the town at what felt like break neck speeds, Wyatt’s small section of roof slammed into the façade of tall brick building.  The pain that gripped Wyatt as he smashed into the wall absolutely took his breath away.  It was pure adrenaline that gave him the strength and the ability to cling to the ornate façade and clamber into an open window.  There he found about fifty or so people, huddled and weeping, all seeking refuge in this one building. _Alma Hall_ , Wyatt remembered as his heart sank at the thought of Lucy still out there in that flood.  Where the hell was she?  Where was Rufus?  They were all of them alone in a damn century in which they didn’t belong, riding out a disaster that they weren’t supposed to be in.    

 

The wave was supposed to pass through the town in ten minutes – that’s what Lucy had said.  Those ten minutes, however, felt like a damned eternity without knowing where she or Rufus were.   He turned and looked out of the open window watching in horror as bodies washed past him, men, women, children, horses, livestock…all dead. Those living, were clinging with all of their might to anything they could find.  Wyatt had never seen anything so totally horrifying and disturbing in all of his life.  With a fresh wave of panic he thought of Lucy and Rufus out there in all of that devastation. What would he do if he lost either one of them?  What would he do if he lost them both? 

 

No. 

 

He wouldn’t think like that. They were safe.

 

They had to be.     

 

Flynn had done it. That asshole had actually done it. Blew the dam to prove a point.  Lucy had said around 250 people had found safety in this building, but Wyatt could already tell that that figure had changed…and not for the better.  All of those people at the parade, did they even have time to seek out shelter?       

 

The seconds seemed to drag out for hours, the minutes seemed to last for days until finally all was quiet. The eerie calm that followed the roar of that wave of destruction and death, coupled with the darkening sky that signaled the impending thunderstorm was hair-raising.  With a shaky exhale, Wyatt made his way back to the window and looked out.   The street in front of the building in which he was sheltered, wasn’t recognizable as such.  Piles and piles of debris, portions of houses, large reams of barbed wire, he could have clambered out of the upper story window of that building and jumped down just a few feet and landed on the pile of rubble that covered what used to be Johnstown. 

 

And that’s just what he did.

 

He and other survivors slowly emerged from their scattered places of refuge.  The destruction was at once overwhelming and awe-striking.  It seemed to stretch on forever.  Bodies were everywhere, some buried under rubble, some lying on top of it and Wyatt prayed to God that he wouldn’t find Rufus or Lucy among them.  He made his way unsteadily over the hazardous pile of wood and twisted metal, not even knowing where to begin to look for either of them. 

He felt helpless and completely lost as he turned and scanned the devastation all around him. The sounds of survivors crying over lost loved ones just added to his own sense of dread and panic. 

 

He made his way slowly through the rubble, screwing up his face at the sight of small mangled bodies of children, women clutching infants, and his heart broke at the sound of the living desperately calling for their lost loved ones.  He didn’t seem to have a voice to do the same.  He was too overwhelmed by the sight of all of the horrible scenes before him.  He clambered to the top of a particularly large pile of rubble when he heard his own name being called.  

 

“Wyatt!?”

 

He turned quickly to see Rufus hobbling towards him.  “Rufus!” he yelled out scrambling as best he could over the uneven and precarious mountain of debris.  “What the hell happened to you?” he asked as he surveyed his friend whose arm was bleeding freely.

 

Rufus breathed out a sigh of relief at the sight of Wyatt, “Well, after you and Lucy ditched me I busted out the window of a little shop,” he pointed to his arm, “you know, smashing windows isn’t like how it is in the movies.”  Wyatt nodded at him impatiently, “Everything after that happened so fast, I was up on the roof and then suddenly there wasn’t even a building anymore.  I was carried off downstream, and then wound up in a mess of trees, just watched the whole damn town pass me by.” He shook his head in disbelief and then looked around in alarm. “Where’s Lucy?”

 

Wyatt paled, “I don’t know” he breathed out, panic evident all over his face, “I…she was with me and then I lost her.”  He swallowed hard as he fought the rising terror in his chest and the burning tears that were springing to his eyes, “We both got carried off downstream and I lost sight of her.  I don’t know where she is.”

 

His voice was weak and desperate.  Rufus had never seen Wyatt quite so vulnerable.  He took a steadying breath,  “We’ll find her, Wyatt.” he said with a voice full of determination, “we’re not leaving here without her.”

 

Wyatt nodded tersely as the two of them walked on amid the rubble, Wyatt desperately trying to ignore the gnawing sense of dread that was eating away at his insides.  As they walked on the debris field seemed to grow thicker, more compact, and then Wyatt remembered what Lucy had said earlier, that the debris was blocked from flowing downstream by the Stone Bridge which spanned the Little Conemaugh River…and if the haze in the sky and the smell in the air were any indicators, he would say that the fire she had talked about had already started as well. 

 

Clawing their way up and over smashed homes, carriages, trees, and furniture, Wyatt and Rufus gasped at the horrific scene that met their eyes at the Stone Bridge.  A massive fire was raging, and there were people trapped in homes that were smashed together, piled on top of one another, there were people trapped under rubble, their screams for help going mostly unanswered as the few living who could, desperately tried to get to them before the fire did. 

 

“C’mon Rufus!” Wyatt commanded as he made his way towards a group of men working to free a family from a ruined house.   As more and more survivors arrived, more and more people were working against the inferno in an attempt to save as many lives as they possibly could.  The horrific screams of those who weren’t so lucky rang in Wyatt’s ears and his stomach dropped.  Not knowing where Lucy was, fearing that it might be too late, hearing the screams of those being burned alive, he threw himself into the debris pile in front of him, shifting heavy beams out of the way, searching in desperation for any sign of Lucy. 

 

“Wyatt!” Rufus called urgently, “I’m going to go with this group over here – we might as well spread out, the more ground we can cover, the better.”

 

Wyatt nodded, but did not cease his work.  He had no idea how long he had been digging, how many bodies of the drowned he had come across, when the group of men next to him cried out for a hand.  “There’s a few people trapped over here!”

 

Wyatt frantically made his way towards them.  It was beginning to thunder now and the sky had turned almost as dark as night, though it was still mid-afternoon.  As he approached he could hear the muffled screams of people trapped beneath a ruined house.  Together they all managed to heave the side of the house away revealing a family, some dead, some living, buried underneath.  The men worked frantically to assist them out and away from the debris field.  Wyatt helped to carry some of the children off to safety before returning to aid more. 

 

On and on they worked, saving as many lives as they could as the fire raged closer to them.  Dread was building in Wyatt’s chest as what felt like hours passed and still there was no sign of Lucy.  He was just about to give in to his panic when he heard Rufus’ voice urgently calling him, “Wyatt!!!  Over here!”

 

“What is it Rufus?” Wyatt yelled out desperately as he scrambled over to him.  “Is it Lucy?” he asked in a frantic voice.   But Rufus didn’t need to answer, a familiar groan reached his ears that had him clambering forward towards a pile of debris that was littered with barbed wire and splintered wood.  “Rufus!  Help me!” Wyatt called as he pulled away ruined piece upon piece of wood until she was almost fully uncovered save for one last remaining beam that was too heavy for Wyatt to move.

 

“Lucy!  Oh thank God.” he breathed out as the rain began to fall in sheets around them.  He crouched down and cupped her face in his hands as she weakly reached out an arm to him. “Hang on Lucy, we’re gonna get you out of here.” 

 

Together, Rufus and Wyatt heaved the beam off of Lucy only to have his panic return full force as his eyes beheld her bloodied form.  “Jesus.” Rufus breathed out as Wyatt dropped to the ground next to her.     

 

Wyatt’s hands were immediately cupping Lucy’s face and holding her head up so that he could look at her.  His voice quavered as he whispered, “I’ve got you, you’re safe.”

 

“I knew you’d find me.” Lucy murmured with a wan smile.

 

“That’s right, baby doll. I’ll always find you.” he smiled weakly back at her.  His face fell as he noticed the trickle of blood oozing out of the corner of her mouth. With an expression of sheer panic, Wyatt’s eyes darted up to Rufus who was standing over the two of them looking completely helpless and at a total loss of what to do.  Wyatt looked over his shoulder at the inferno that was closing in around them, the heavy rain doing very little to stem its appetite.  As much as Wyatt hated to move her, they couldn’t stay there.

   

Lucy cried out in pain as he tried to hoist her up.  “I’m sorry, Lucy” Wyatt whispered harshly, “but we need to get you out of here before that fire gets any closer.”  He bent down to scoop her up in his arms and that’s when he saw it – the thick, jagged piece of glass that she had been pinned against.  He swallowed hard as he lifted her, feeling, with growing terror, the warm sticky remnants of blood all along her side. 

 

He carried Lucy away from the horror of the fire and the debris field and set her down under a tree where she could be somewhat shielded from the rain that was now coming down in torrential sheets.  “Oh my God, Lucy.” He breathed out shakily as he finally got a chance to assess her injuries. Her dress was torn and soaked with water and with gore.   Upon inspection, he could see the large gash that ran along her side.  It was clear she had already lost a lot of blood.  She was deathly pale and hardly conscious. Wyatt held her face in his hands. “Lucy…Lucy look at me.’ 

 

She blinked slowly and brought a hand to his face.  “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.  I tried.”

 

Wyatt grasped onto her hand and held it against him, pressing his lips to it as if he trying to tether her to him.  “I know you did, baby doll.”  Wyatt shook her lightly as her eyes fluttered closed again, “Lucy, stay with me” he pleaded. “You need to stay with me, Lucy…okay?”

 

Lucy groaned as she gave a small nod, “I’ll try.” she whispered.

 

Wyatt brought his face closer to hers and caressed her hair as he locked his eyes on hers, “We’re going to get you out of here and then, once they fix you up we can go home and go on that date just like I promised you,” his voice caught in his throat as she offered him an apologetic smile, “you’ll see, Lucy…it’s going to be alright. You’re going to be alright.”

 

He raked shaking hands over her side, seeking to find some way to apply some kind of pressure to her wound, realizing helplessly that it was too large, too deep…how the hell was he going to fix this?  “Oh God, Lucy” he sobbed as panic mounted in his chest.   He couldn’t lose her.  He wouldn’t lose her. 

 

“It’s okay, Wyatt – it doesn’t even hurt anymore.” She gave him a small smile and let out a shaky breath.   

 

Wyatt ripped off his jacket and shirt and began desperately ripping it to shreds, his hands shaking as he looked down at the gaping wound in Lucy’s side.  “We’ve got to stop the bleeding, Rufus.  That’s what we need to do.”  The desperation was thick in his voice.   “Help me stop the bleeding!”  he cried out. But Rufus stood silently beside him resting a comforting hand on Wyatt’s shoulder.  Wyatt ignored him and began frantically wrapping strip after strip of fabric around Lucy’s small waist, but even as he did so, he knew his efforts were in vain.  The stillness of her form, the look of serenity on her face, Wyatt cradled her in his arms and held her against him as he let out a cry of anguish.

 

She was gone.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.
> 
> If you'd like to learn more about the flood.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q62vlcFLLlM


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers!
> 
> I hope you're still with me. Sorry for all the heartache, but you can't say I didn't warn you! These be some rough waters we're sailing through right now, but just remember ALL the tags...and you'll be okay. THIS chapter was originally VERY VERY long. I actually just cut it because it was a BEAR to proof being that long and I wanted to get an update out TODAY...because I love you all. So what does that mean? 25 is essentially done since 25 was the last half of this once massive chapter (just needs proofed) and 26 is ALMOST done...and that one also might need to be split...because holy gosh, there's a lot happening in that one right now...so that means you won't have to wait very long between chapter updates. I figured you'd rather have that then to have to wait a week between them. 
> 
> Keep your chins up!

 

Five years ago, Wyatt had been at home, pacing the floor, when he received the call from the police station that Jessica had been found.  He didn’t need to ask if she was alive, he already knew the answer was no. There had been that note of sympathy in the police officer’s voice that Wyatt would soon come to hate.  The same note of sympathy that imbedded itself into every conversation that had immediately followed the announcements of her disappearance and later, her death...and it only served to remind him of what he had lost. Instead of offering comfort, it was a stab of pain to his heart as the crushing guilt he felt at her murder came back full-force every time someone with good intentions paid him a visit.

 

He had never imagined that he would be facing the same cruel torture now, so soon after he had finally allowed himself the opportunity to love again.  Strangers in 1889 watched him and offered up words of comfort and conciliation as he carried Lucy away from the devastation that was once Johnstown.  He couldn’t bear to hear their words of sympathy, they did nothing to ease the complete and utter anguish in his heart.  To have found Lucy alive in the midst of all of that hell, only to lose her? To have only had a few short days of unimaginable happiness and a hope for a future life together…as a couple…as parents…only to have the universe, or God, or fate…or whatever the hell it was come along and rip it all away?  It was too much…too much for him to take. 

 

He clung to her as they made the jump from 1889 to the present, refusing to let Rufus place her in her seat.  Instead, he held her close, pleading with her to come back to him, hoping that by some miracle she was still there…still hanging on…that once they got to Mason, everything would be alright.  When the hatch opened and the grim reality of Lucy’s condition became apparent to everyone in the room, Wyatt still refused to let them take her from him.  He carried her to medical himself and demanded that they try to do something…anything to help her.  When the doctors sadly informed him that there was nothing that could be done, it took Bam Bam, Rufus and Agent Christopher to hold Wyatt back as they wheeled Lucy away on a stretcher to the morgue.  

 

The crushing reality of his loss hit him full force the minute the door closed on the ambulance. His knees gave way in the corridor and he slunk to the floor, cursing his very existence…an existence that didn’t feel like much of anything without Lucy.  She had saved him…and for what?  So that he could suffer an even greater blow at her loss?  To wander aimlessly through the world knowing that not once, but twice, the universe had decided to rip someone he loved away from him?  Why? Why did she have to go and save him in the first place?  She had brought him back from the brink, taught him what it was to be happy, offered him the promise of a future together with their unborn child, only to leave him alone more desperate and broken than he had ever been before.      

 

Why?

 

The mission debrief was mercifully short.  Agent Christopher didn’t ask him many questions, she relied on Rufus’ testimony and the current historical account, telling Wyatt she could get the rest from him when he was ready. 

 

Like he ever would be ready to relive this day. 

 

He sat at the conference room table with his head in his hands as Agent Christopher offered words imbued with the sympathy Wyatt hated so much.  He didn’t want sympathy…he wanted Lucy.  He had to change it.  He needed to change it.  Listening to the new historical account of the Johnstown flood without Lucy there to insert her knowledge and expertise on the situation only served to make him feel her loss all the more.  Over 4,000 dead instead of the 2,209 of before…and among those dead, Lucy…who shouldn’t have even been there. As Agent Christopher read over the record, her words slammed into Wyatt like a sledge hammer. Even though the dam failure could not be attributed to the heavy rainfall, the sonsofbitches who were responsible for maintaining the dam still got away with it.  Their philanthropy, their connections, their money, had given them a free pass once again…and so Flynn had made his point…and Lucy died for it. 

   

Agent Christopher dismissed Wyatt and Rufus, but Wyatt’s legs refused to move.  He remained seated in his chair until she approached him with a comforting pat and told him that he could take as much time as he needed to grieve.  Bam Bam would take his missions and they would be escalating their search for a new historian. 

 

The last thought made Wyatt sick to his stomach.  Of course, he knew that they were already looking for a temporary replacement for her, based on his request…but the idea that she could be so easily replaced, so casually disregarded seemed so insensitive to Wyatt.  She had never asked to be involved in this.  She had been terrified that first mission when, as Wyatt recollected with a surge of anger, they bullied her and guilted her into signing onto the project.  She was a damn professor, an author…she wasn’t a field agent.  How could they do that to her?  The only reason she stayed on was because of her sister.  And now, Wyatt thought with a fresh pang of guilt and regret, that hope, that promise of getting Amy back had died with Lucy. 

 

He lifted his tear-filled eyes to the mission report sitting on the table just opposite him.  As much as he wanted to avoid remembering the horrors he had witnessed, something inside him made him reach for it.  Whether it was to feel a connection to Lucy in some way or try to understand more of what had happened, he wasn’t sure, he just knew that he had to read the report, and scour through the files. He pulled it towards him and held it in shaking hands as he flipped through the pages, viewing photos from the aftermath, reading first-hand accounts of the victims that somehow didn’t quite capture the terror and utter devastation of it all.   He read about the various Club members and their flippant donations to the town as they expressly denied culpability in the failure of the dam.  He read about the court proceedings and pored through testimony after testimony that proved that there had been negligence on the part of the Club, but because there had been no intent for malice, the Court ruled that the Club and its members were in no way responsible for what had happened to Johnstown.  He was just about to throw down the report in anger and disgust when his eyes fell upon a poem… _the_ poem, the one he realized that Lucy had referred to just moments before she realized Flynn’s awful plan. 

 

 _Many thousand human lives-_  
Butchered husbands, slaughtered wives   
Mangled daughters, bleeding sons,   
Hosts of martyred little one,   
(Worse than  _Herod's awful crime_ _)_  
Sent to heaven before their time;   
Lovers burnt and sweethearts drowned,   
Darlings lost but never found!   
All the horrors that hell could wish,   
Such was the price that was paid for— fish!

 

He read it until it was committed to his memory…he read it until the words were forever burned into his heart and mind.  Entire families wiped out, hundreds of children orphaned, hundreds of men and women widowed, entire lives ruined because of Rittenhouse and Garcia Flynn.

 

He hated them.  He hated them all.  And if one thing was for certain, they were all going to pay.  He would make sure of it. 

 

He didn’t remember the car ride back to his apartment.  He didn’t remember handing the keys to Rufus to open the door.  He didn’t remember walking in only to find himself faced with sink full of dishes that reminded him of their last time in the apartment together.  He didn’t remember reaching for the bottle and drinking himself into a stupor, his face buried in Lucy’s robe in an attempt to latch on to anything that was her before alcohol and sheer exhaustion put him temporarily out of his misery.  Anytime he would wake to the dismal reality of a life without Lucy, he would drown himself in whiskey until he was numb.  How long this cycle continued he had no idea.  He was vaguely aware that he was still existing, though he had no idea how since his heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest.  If he felt himself becoming conscious again, he reached for the bottle…until one day it wasn’t there anymore. 

 

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

 

Wyatt lifted his head slowly as his blood shot eyes focused in on a distraught Jessica.  He closed his eyes and cursed at the sight of her. “What the hell are you doing here?” he muttered in a cool voice.  

 

Jessica sighed as silent tears ran down her face, “Your friend, Rufus…I think his name was….he called me from your phone and asked me to come over.”  Wyatt cursed again and buried his head in his hands.  “Wyatt, your friends…they’re worried about you” Jessica sniffed, “and so am I.”

 

“You don’t have to worry about me, Jess.” Wyatt scoffed miserably. “I’m not lucky enough to die.”

 

“Wyatt,” Jessica moaned, “don’t say that.”

 

“Why not?”  Wyatt spat out, “It’s true.”  He leaned his head back on the couch as the painful recollection of his sad and miserable condition slowly filtered its way back into his alcohol-laden mind.  His whole chest ached with longing as he sighed heavily, “I thought this time would be different.  I thought that I had been given another chance – that maybe the universe had decided I had suffered enough.”  Wyatt scoffed, “I should have known better…things were too damn perfect to be my life.”

 

Jessica eased herself next to Wyatt on the couch and tentatively put her hand on his back, “Wyatt…I’m so sorry.” She wept silently beside him for a few moments before she continued,  “I know things between us ended badly, but suffer is kind of a strong word, don’t you think?  We made mistakes…we both did…but it’s nothing that you should punish yourself for.  You absolutely deserved to be happy, Wyatt.” She sighed heavily, “It’s just that…sometimes bad things happen…and it’s no one’s fault.”

 

Wyatt cursed under his breath as he sprang up from the couch, “The hell it isn’t.”  He paced the room, self-loathing and anger all over his face.  Jessica watched him with pity until he suddenly stopped abruptly and made a beeline for his kitchen. 

 

“What are you doing, Wyatt?” Jessica asked in a knowing voice. 

 

“Where is it?” Wyatt demanded as he opened and shut the cabinet doors, frantically searching for the one thing that could deaden the pain that was becoming all too much. Jessica sidled over to the kitchen entrance and leaned against the wall, watching him and shaking her head.  He crossed the kitchen once more and paused momentarily before a look of dawning recollection fell upon his features.  He turned slowly and opened the broiler drawer on the oven.  “Some things never change.” he muttered as he picked up the half empty bottle of whiskey, shooting Jessica an annoyed glance.

 

“You got that right.” Jessica said with a sigh.  She stepped towards him and put her hand on his arm as he twisted the top off. “Don’t do this, Wyatt.  Please.  This…this is not going to solve anything.”

 

He wrenched his arm away, “I don’t give a damn.” he spat out as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

 

“Would she have wanted you to do this to yourself?” Jessica demanded firmly.  Wyatt glared at her, but Jessica was not intimidated in the slightest, “Drinking away your sorrows doesn’t make them go away, Wyatt.  It will only make things worse.” 

 

Wyatt was arrested by the sight of her pleading, tear-filled eyes.  He lowered the bottle of whiskey and saw a faint reflection of himself in the bottle.  He looked broken, beaten down…a shell of who he had once been…with Lucy.  He knew that Jessica was right.  There wasn’t enough whiskey in the world to drown his sorrows in, certainly not enough to silence the phantom sounds of her voice, to mask the faint scent of her perfume that seemed to hang in the air, to dispel the lingering feeling that any minute now she would walk through the door.  There was no amount of alcohol that would ever let him forget Lucy. 

 

And he didn’t want to forget.  He didn’t want to lose what little he had left of her, of them, of their too few perfect days together.  But he also didn’t know how he could go on living when his heart was gone.  He didn’t know how he could keep on existing without her by his side.

 

He let the bottle slide out of his hands into Jessica’s.  She set it down on the counter and wrapped her arms around him as he wept into her hair.

 

“You have so many people who care about you, Wyatt.  You have to keep on living for them…and for her.”  She pulled away from his and put her hands on his face, “I know I never met her, Wyatt…but I’m pretty damn sure she wouldn’t want you to give up like this.”  

 

Before he could answer, the door of the apartment swung open to reveal Rufus Carlin laden down with a pizza box and a six pack of soda.  Jessica dropped her hands from Wyatt’s face and offered Rufus an awkward smile as his eyes darted between the two of them. 

 

“Rufus?” Jessica extended her hand as she wiped away her tears, “I’m Jessica.”   

 

“Nice to finally put a face with the name.” Rufus said as he shifted the pizza box and took her hand. “I see you got him conscious, at least.”

 

Jessica turned back to face Wyatt who was standing in the kitchen with his head in his hands. “Yeah…listen, I have to get back to work.  Are you-“

 

Rufus lifted the pizza box, “I’m camping out here tonight.  Not planning on going anywhere.”

 

She nodded at him and turned back to Wyatt with sympathetic frown, “I’m gonna come back and check on you tomorrow…so don’t get any ideas.  Rufus here, will let me know if you so much as swallow your mouthwash.” She winked at him. “Right, Rufus?”

 

“Um…yeah, that’s right.” Rufus muttered as he shot an uneasy glance towards Wyatt who still had not moved. 

 

“Thanks for calling me.” Jessica sighed as she eased on her jacket. 

 

Rufus nodded solemnly, “Well, I figured if anyone could get him to listen, it would be you since…” Rufus frowned and bit back tears as he whispered “he just doesn’t really open up that much…she was the only one I knew who could reach him.” he added as Jessica patted him on the back. 

 

“Well, I’m glad you thought of me. I’m happy to help however I can…just let me know if you need anything in the meantime.” 

 

Wyatt sank down to the floor of the kitchen as Jessica left the apartment, his hand shielding his eyes, but doing very little to conceal the fact that he was crying.  After a few awkward moments, Wyatt breathed out, “Why the hell did you call her, Rufus?”

 

“Because I already lost one friend this week…I was not about to lose another one.” Rufus said firmly as Wyatt rolled his eyes.  “I mean it, Wyatt.  You won’t eat, all you take in is whiskey…you look like hell.”  Wyatt glared at him, but Rufus pressed on, “I was desperate, okay? I picked up your phone and saw Jessica’s name in your contacts and thought that if I couldn’t help you, maybe she could.”

 

Wyatt grimaced as he laid his head back against the stove, “I should have never turned off the damn phones.  We would have made that first jump and she would’ve figured out what he was up to…we could’ve stopped him then. We would have never been in harm’s way.”

 

Rufus set down the pizza on the counter and looked down at Wyatt sadly.  “Don’t do that to yourself, Wyatt.  Lucy wouldn’t have wanted you to blame yourself.”

 

At the sound of her name, Wyatt sprang up off the floor and began pacing again, his voice wracked with regret, “She told me not to do it.  I told her I didn’t care…told her Bam Bam could go.”  He passed his hands roughly through his hair as he turned to Rufus and yelled, “Why the hell didn’t you all just jump without us?  Why?”  At Rufus’ blank expression, Wyatt cursed and shook his head ruefully, “If I hadn’t have turned off the damn phones, she would still be here.”

 

“You don’t know that.” answered Rufus quietly.  ‘Wyatt, you have no idea if you would have even made that jump...or if it would have made a difference at all.  Who would have thought that Flynn would blow the dam during a parade?”

 

“Lucy.” Wyatt breathed out in a voice laden with anguish.  “I should have gotten her out of there faster…I should have never let her go in to try to send that telegram.  We should have just gotten the hell out of there.”

 

“Wyatt, there’s nothing you could have done.”

 

“Don’t tell me that.” Wyatt spat out angrily.  “There has to be a way to change it.  There has to be.” Wyatt exclaimed painfully, “I need her back, Rufus.”

 

Rufus’ heart broke at the sight of Wyatt looking so desperate, but he couldn’t let him dwell on false hope.  He cleared his throat uncomfortably and explained softly, “Wyatt, Lucy is gone, you have to-“

 

Wyatt gripped Rufus’ shirt roughly and growled out, “We have a damn time machine, Rufus.  There’s got to be a way to bring her back.”

 

“We can’t go back to a time where we already exist…you know that, man.” Rufus explained sorrowfully.   “Besides, what could we do to change the outcome of a damn flood?”

 

Wyatt’s knees gave way and he sank down on the sofa, staring at the wall that once displayed newspaper clippings of Jessica’s murder.  After her death, he had thrown himself into his career.  No task was too dangerous, no operation to risky.  He volunteered for each and every one of them…and earned himself one hell of a reputation.  That didn’t matter to him – he wasn’t doing it for personal glory. Jessica’s death had given him reckless abandon – he didn’t care what happened to him anymore.  The way he saw it, he didn’t deserve to live a peaceful life after what he had done to the only person in the world who put up with him. His missions with Delta Force were a distraction to keep the memories at bay.  

 

But how the hell was he going to be distracted now when everything reminded him of Lucy? 

 

His apartment, his job, the people he cared about most in the world…all of them were connected to her. She had filled his entire life from almost the moment he met her and now she was gone. 

 

As happy as he was that Jessica was alive, it had torn him apart to see her in his apartment, the apartment he shared with Lucy.  Her presence was a grim reminder that she wasn’t supposed to be here…Lucy was.  He should’ve never tried to screw with his past. He would’ve still been in his timeline with his Lucy…and he would have never known how much he truly loved her…how much his own happiness was wrapped up in just the mere presence of her. He would’ve never had to go through this pain of losing her just when he had realized how much she meant to him.  He would’ve never had to bear the grief of losing a child he had yet to meet.  Why the hell couldn’t he have just left well enough alone?

 

It was that damn telegram.  The telegram he sent from Vegas in 1962 had failed in his timeline, but in Lucy’s it had worked and had set their lives on a completely different track.  How?  Hell, was it in even the telegram that caused Jessica’s return?  Maybe it was something else.  Maybe Flynn had killed somebody who was somehow tied to her murder.  What the hell had he done to bring her back? If he could figure that out…if he could find out what Flynn had done to change the timeline, then maybe he could…maybe he could reset it…and he could bring her back…yes, that’s what he would do. 

 

Almost as if in answer to his silent resolution, Rufus’ phone began to buzz.  He quickly looked at the screen and then shot Wyatt a nervous glance. 

 

“What?” asked Wyatt grimly. “Is it Flynn?”

 

“Nope. But um…shit…I’m gonna have to head out for a little while.”  Rufus looked at Wyatt uneasily,  “You gonna be okay?  No…that was a stupid question…um….this should only take a minute…dry cleaning.  I have to pick up some dry cleaning…all the way across town.”

 

Rufus was never a good liar. 

 

Wyatt wrenched the phone out of Rufus’ hand and looked down at the text from Mason Industries.  “Want to try that again?”

 

“Wyatt, if you think Agent Christopher is going to let you jump in the condition you’re in right now, you’ve got another thing coming.”  He followed Wyatt around the apartment as he slipped on his shoes and splashed water on his face.  “No one expects you to do this jump…it’s fine.  Just take it easy.  I’ll have Jiya come by to keep you company.”

 

“I don’t need a babysitter, Rufus.”  Wyatt sneered. “And if you think I’m going to pass up a chance to kill Garcia Flynn _you_ have another thing coming.”

 

“Wyatt, c’mon man…please don’t do this.” Rufus begged. 

 

“Don’t do what?” snapped Wyatt as he threw on his jacket.  “My job?  If I had done my job to begin with Lucy wouldn’t have been killed.  I’m going to fix it, Rufus.  I have to.”

 

“And just how are you going to fix it?” asked Rufus as he quickly grabbed a piece of pizza.  “I already told you, you can’t go back to a time you already exist.”

 

“I’m going to find out what that sonofabitch did in Vegas 1963…and then I’m going to kill him.” Wyatt promised.

 

“Well, you probably need to eat something before you go.” Rufus said with a mouth full of pizza. “You’re not going to be able to do much on an empty stomach.”

 

Wyatt shoved his hands in his pockets and was startled to feel something small and metallic brushing against his hand.  With a small gasp, he pulled out Lucy’s rings that he had hidden in there all those mornings ago.  He held them in the palm of his hand and stared at them, his heart at once aching at the sight of them and pounding at the thought that he might just be able to save her.  He clenched his fist around them determinedly, “I’m not hungry.” He declared. “Let’s go Rufus.”

 

Rufus grabbed himself another piece of pizza before chasing Wyatt out of the apartment, “Fine. But if you think I’m gonna let you drive, you’re out of your damn mind.”    


	25. Chapter 25

Wyatt was hit with a myriad of emotions when he walked through the doors of Mason Industries. He hadn’t been back since that awful night and now as he walked down the hall, he was assaulted with a flood of memories.  How many times had he walked down this corridor with her?  How many conversations had they had…how many did he wish they would’ve had?  He agonized over every second of wasted time as he made his way towards the launch bay where Agent Christopher was huddled with Jiya and Bam Bam.

 

Upon Wyatt and Rufus’ approach, she lifted her head and gaped at them, “What on Earth are you doing here, Wyatt?” I don’t remember including you on the text.” She shot an accusing glance at Rufus who mouthed out his defense in the form of “I told him no”. She rolled her eyes at Rufus’ attempt at silent vindication and turned sorrowfully to Wyatt, “Master Sergeant Baumgardner is going to take this, you are in no-“

 

“Where did the sonofabitch jump?” Wyatt interrupted. 

 

“Wyatt.” Agent Christopher said more firmly, “You are not going on this mission.  You’ve just lost your wife.

 

Wyatt met her look of sympathy with a menacing glare.  He took a deep breath to steady his voice, ‘With all due respect, ma’am, that is exactly why I am going on this mission.  No one here wants Garcia Flynn dead more than me.  I think I have more than enough reason to kill that asshole and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let somebody else take that chance from me.”

 

“That’s understandable, Wyatt…but you know as well as I do, that to go into battle when you aren’t ready emotionally…” Agent Christopher shook her head at him. 

 

“Ma’am,” Wyatt said in a voice of quiet desperation, “staying home and doing nothing…where I’m reminded every second of every day that she is gone?  How can that be better than fighting to bring her killer to justice? How can I help Lucy if I’m here and not out there?”

 

Agent Christopher eyed him warily, “I don’t want vigilante justice, Wyatt.  That won’t benefit you in any way” she looked at him closely, “…and it won’t bring her back.”

 

Wyatt flinched at those words.  He wouldn’t believe them, he had to bring her back, there was no question in his mind. He had to, or there would be no saving him from himself this time, “I just want the chance to make things right.” he pleaded in a harsh whisper.   

 

Agent Christopher pursed her lips and studied Wyatt for a long while.  He knew that he looked like absolute hell, he knew that she could tell that he had drunk himself into oblivion time and time again, but he hoped that he looked desperate and determined enough to help her see past all of that.  She must have decided that Wyatt’s fighting spirit was worth something…or she was just trying to avoid the fight that would inevitably come if she refused him because after several beats she answered, “If you get the opportunity, you bring Flynn in alive, you understand me?”

 

Wyatt clenched his jaw as Rufus shot his eyes towards him, “Yes ma’am.”

 

Bam Bam turned towards the Homeland Security officer, “Wyatt is like a machine.  No matter what he’s going though, he rises up to the occasion. I’ve seen it loads of times.”  He gave her a reassuring nod, “I’ll watch over him.  I’ll keep him out of trouble” 

 

“See that you do” Agent Christopher sighed, though she didn’t look convinced.  “Garcia Flynn has jumped to July 23, 1892, Pittsburgh…Mr. Chartris tells me that was the assassination attempt of a man called…Henry Clay Frick.”

 

Wyatt’s eyes shot up. He knew that name.  He knew that mission. Lucy had told them about it that day they went back to Johnstown…he was one of those Rittenhouse Country Club members…but who the hell was Mr. Chartris?  

 

The answer to that question presented itself in the form of an elderly balding man who looked every part of the clichéd historian.  Mr. Chartris shuffled slowly over to their huddled group, a large folder in his hands, his thick glasses sitting on the tip of his nose.  Wyatt, Rufus and Bam Bam all exchanged unimpressed looks as the new historian erupted into a hacking cough, before clearing his throat and droning on in monotone about the Homestead Steel Strikes. 

 

He had just gotten to the economic reasons for the strike when Wyatt interrupted in annoyance, “Flynn is not going after Henry Clay Frick because of a strike.  He’s going after him because he was a member of the South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club.”

 

Mr. Chartris blinked slowly at Wyatt, “That’s true, he was a member, but the sad events surrounding that Club occurred in 1889, not 1892.  Those events have nothing at all to do with the Homestead Steel Strikes. Now as I was saying –“

 

Wyatt interrupted again, this time addressing Agent Christopher, “Ma’am, Flynn told Lucy he was dead set on proving her wrong…those assholes didn’t own up to the failures with that dam, they wrangled their way out of it and if I know Flynn, he’s not going to let them slide.  If they’re Rittenhouse, he’s going to make sure they suffer.”

 

“Young man,” Mr. Chartris piped up, annoyed at the interruption, “The assassination attempt of Henry Clay Frick –“

 

“by an anarchist, right? What was his name?”  Wyatt looked towards Rufus who shrugged bewilderedly.

 

“Andrew Berkman” Mr. Chartris drawled lazily.

 

“Yeah, that guy.” continued Wyatt. “When he tries to kill Frick, it sways public opinion in his favor. Frick gets the sympathy vote – strikes are shut down – and that asshole wins again.” Wyatt spat out in irritation. “I’m pretty damn certain Flynn’s not going to let that happen.”

 

Mr. Chartris huffed out a breath in annoyance, “If Henry Clay Frick is part of this organization that Mr. Flynn is so determined to rid the world of, why would he care so much about public opinion?  Hmmmm? Killing Frick would certainly make a martyr of him, but his goal would be met, Henry Clay Frick would be dead. Now back to the economic reason for the strike…” 

 

“Maybe” gritted Wyatt angrily, “Flynn isn’t planning on killing Frick.  Maybe he wants to kill Berkman and frame Frick so that Frick comes off as even more of an asshole in the public’s mind than he already was…what would happen then?  Huh? Public opinion stays on the side of the strikers?  Henry Clay Frick is ruined?  Possibly accused of murder?  Seems a hell of a lot more damning than a bullet in the brain.  Flynn wouldn’t let him off so easy, not after all the trouble he went through in Johnstown.”

 

“Hear hear!” shouted Bam Bam as the entire room turned to stare at him.  “Hell, if that wasn’t damned impressive.  For a minute there, I could’ve sworn you were channeling her, Wyatt.” He winked at him, before nodding seriously, “She’d be proud of you.”

 

As much as Wyatt’s heart ached, he felt a surge of peace and comfort at the thought that Lucy was…somehow…still there with him.  He reached into his pocket and held fast to her rings as he mused over how she had unwittingly prepared them for this mission just by being Lucy.  Her enthusiasm to share her historical knowledge with them had at times, irritated Wyatt…but right now, he was oh so grateful that he had paid attention.  It was like she was helping him to succeed…like she wanted him to succeed, giving him the information he needed to figure out Flynn’s plans and motives without her there beside him…all so he could save her.

 

And he would save her.   

 

Mr. Chartris looked extremely affronted when Agent Christopher asked him to wait in the conference room while she discussed the mission further with her team.  With one last glare at Wyatt, the old man shuffled away leaving Wyatt, Rufus, and Bam Bam standing at the ready for Agent Christopher’s orders.  “Alright, I want you three to be extremely careful.  Without an historian on the ground we have no way of knowing the ins and outs of the days events.  
  


Wyatt shook his head as he sat down at the computer and began typing away. 

 

“What are you doing, Wyatt?” asked Agent Christopher.

 

Wyatt smiled to himself, “I’m going to have Lucy in my back pocket.” he muttered as he pressed the print button.  He looked up at four faces glancing down at him nervously.  Wyatt shifted in his chair uncomfortably under their scrutiny, “We did this for the Paris mission…remember?  It worked then.  This” he held up the printed papers, “will give us all the information we need, but, ” Wyatt stopped short and frowned, his brow furrowed in pain.

 

Rufus shook his head slightly in understanding and shot Wyatt a supportive glance, “Still not as good as the real deal, though.”  Wyatt didn’t look up at Rufus, he just nodded in silent assent. 

 

Agent Christopher studied the two of them for a moment before turning to Bam Bam, “Master Sergeant Baumgardner, I’m giving you the lead on this mission.” 

 

“What?!  Why?” spat out Wyatt angrily.

 

Agent Christopher sighed as she looked at Wyatt with pity, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Wyatt…but you have just suffered an extreme loss.  I need someone with a more level head to take the lead on this mission. It’s nothing personal.”

 

Bam Bam nodded at Agent Christopher while glancing sideways at Wyatt, “Thank you for the opportunity, ma’am.  I won’t let you down.”

 

“See that you don’t.” Agent Christopher sighed.  “Now, I want you all dressed and ready to go in fifteen minutes.”

 

Wyatt was ready in ten. 

 

He paced the floor of the launch bay until Rufus and Bam Bam finally emerged from the locker rooms.  “You two ready?”

 

Bam Bam slapped Wyatt on the shoulder before he clambered into the Lifeboat, “Listen, I hope you aren’t upset about the…” Bam Bam began uneasily, “It’s nothing personal, Wyatt. You know as well as I do, you’re the best out of all of us.”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “No…that was never true.  Lucy was the best out of all of us.”  His fists clenched by his sides, a move that did not go unnoticed by Rufus.  “Let’s go get that sonofabitch.”

 

Bam Bam clambered into the Lifeboat as Rufus took Wyatt aside and whispered urgently, “You heard what Christopher said, right?  No vigilante justice, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt stared back at Rufus coldly, “I’ll do whatever I need to do to fix this, Rufus.  I don’t give a damn about what Christopher or Bam Bam have to say about that.”

 

Rufus stared back at Wyatt with concern, “Just remember, Wyatt…you’re one of the good guys.”  He gave Wyatt one last meaningful look before clambering into the time machine himself. 

 

Wyatt took one last look at the scene around him…things seemed so very wrong without Lucy there at Mason…they seemed even more wrong as he buckled himself into the LifeBoat to see Bam Bam sitting in her seat.  He closed his eyes and threw his head back on his chair as Rufus prepared the launch. 

 

With a sickening jolt he felt the LifeBoat depart and land, but he refused to open his eyes until he heard Bam Bam exit through the hatch.  Opening his eyes, Wyatt sat and stared at her empty chair until Rufus called him to attention, “Wyatt…are you sure you’re okay?  You can always stay here –“

 

“Nope.  I’m fine, Rufus.” Wyatt said tersely. “Let’s go find Flynn.”

 

It didn’t take them long to locate Frick’s office in the Golden Triangle area of 19th century Pittsburgh.  He was one of the most well-known men in the city and with the notoriety that came from the Homestead Steel Strikes that were still going strong, everyone in town knew where Henry Clay Frick operated from.  It was in the Chronicle Telegraph Building on Fifth Avenue.  It was a large building located on a sloping street.  The streets were bustling with activity, but Wyatt was only focused on locating the one person who could help him save Lucy.   

 

Bam Bam suggested that they split up.  Wyatt could position himself outside of Frick’s office and wait for either Andrew Berkman or Garcia Flynn.  Rufus was to watch for Frick across the street at the Duquense Club, where Frick was known to have eaten lunch before the attack was made…and Bam Bam would be down the street at the hotel where Berkman was staying, armed with a photograph, ready to protect the anarchist from an assassination attempt before he had a chance to make his own.    

 

Placing Wyatt inside the office building, Bam Bam argued, would allow him, as the better soldier, to have the best possible vantage point should either he or Rufus fail in their duty. Wyatt would be the last line of defense for Frick or Berkman…whichever of the two men happened to be on Garcia Flynn’s kill list. 

 

That was what Bam Bam had told Wyatt, anyway. 

 

In truth, Bam Bam placed Wyatt in the office building so that he would be surrounded by people, witnesses…that he hoped would keep Wyatt from reneging on his word to Agent Christopher. By following Berkman, Bam Bam would hopefully be the first to encounter Garcia Flynn should Berkman be his intended target and by trailing Frick, Rufus would be able to join Wyatt when Frick finished his lunch and returned to his office.  Rufus, therefore, would be there to keep Wyatt in check, should he need it. 

 

Wyatt sat down in the large paneled lobby outside of Henry Clay’s Frick’s office.  Pretending to read a paper, he glanced warily at the other individuals in the waiting room.  He tapped his foot nervously, anxious lest Bam Bam take out Flynn before he had a chance to question him, before he could force him to admit what he had done in 1963 to change the timeline.  After looking at the paper for about fifteen minutes or so, Wyatt began pacing fitfully in the lobby, glancing nervously at the clock and matching it to the time on his own pocket watch.  Where the hell was everyone?

 

Just as he was about to storm out and find Rufus, a formidable looking bearded gentleman came barreling through the doors, followed not by Rufus, but by Garcia Flynn himself. Had Flynn been looking straight ahead, there would have been no way that he would have missed Wyatt.  As it was, Flynn was chatting with Frick and had his eyes turned towards the businessman rather than at his surroundings.  Turning quickly to hide his face, Wyatt watched out of the corner of his eye as a smiling Flynn charmed his way into the office of one of the most notorious members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. They were both soon joined by another man whom Wyatt knew from his reading was John Leishman who had also been a member of that damned Rittenhouse Country Club.

 

Seeing them all together, sent a wave of fury through Wyatt’s system.   His eyes narrowed and his fingers twitched as he watched the office door click shut behind the three men.  He slowly and purposefully made his way towards the office when Rufus came rushing in breathlessly asd skidded to a halt beside Wyatt, “Did you see Flynn?” he panted.

 

Wyatt scoffed irritably, “Yeah, that sonofabitch just walked in here with Frick.”  He reached into his coat for his gun as he growled out,  “I was just about to –“

 

“You were just about to what, Wyatt?” Rufus asked with a meaningful glare.  

 

Wyatt closed his eyes and heaved out a sigh, “I can’t have Flynn killing Frick now, can I?”

 

“I thought you said Flynn was here to kill Berkman?” Rufus spat back, unconvinced.  “Besides, I don’t hear any sounds of distress in there.” he added, tilting his head towards the door.    

 

“So we’re just gonna let Flynn get away again?  Is that it?” Wyatt spat out.  “He’s right there, Rufus.  All I have to do is go in there and grab that sonofabitch and make him talk.”

 

“And what happens when he tells you…if he tells you what happened in 1963?  Huh?”

 

Wyatt bit his lip and shook his head angrily. 

 

Rufus nodded slowly as he looked at Wyatt with concern.  “You know, if Flynn had killed Jiya, there wouldn’t be anything in this world that I would want more than to make him pay for what he had done.”  Furious tears sprang to Wyatt’s eyes as he clenched them shut. “But that’s not who I am…and Wyatt, it’s not who you are either.”

 

Wyatt cursed under his breath and stalked away from the door of Frick’s office angry at Rufus for being so damned dead on in his observations.  Of course, it was easy for him to talk in hypotheticals…he hadn’t actually lost Jiya.  She was safe. She was alive.  She hadn’t been carrying his child before she was senselessly murdered by a psychopathic mad man and a bunch of elitist Rittenhouse dicks. Hate and rage coursed through Wyatt’s veins in a way he had never known before.  He knew Rufus was right.  He knew he had to get a rein on his emotions or he was going to end up no better than that murdering sonofabitch Garcia Flynn….but right at that moment he didn’t care. Three of the people responsible for Lucy’s death were sitting just beyond that door and Wyatt wanted nothing more than to make each and every one of them feel just a fraction of the pain he was feeling.

 

He paced like a caged animal up and down the hallway beyond Frick’s office, fighting an inward battle. How he wanted to burst through that door and make them all pay…how he wanted to torture Flynn until he talked and then revel in the satisfaction that he would trade Flynn’s life for Lucy’s…but that thought made him pause. 

 

How could he ever face her if he became a cold-blooded killer?  Hell, how could he face her if she found out he had disrupted history in such a way by murdering Henry Clay Frick and John Leishman?  He chuckled miserably through his tears as he thought about what she would say to him for doing something so reckless.

 

He missed her so much it hurt. 

 

He buried his face in his hands as he tried to stop the strong impulses coursing through his veins, screaming at him to take revenge.  He was better than this…he knew it…but the hate he felt towards the men just beyond that door down the hall, was more than he had ever felt towards anyone in his entire life.  He was so focused on his own inner turmoil that it took Rufus physically grabbing his arm and pulling him towards Frick’s office to bring him back to his senses. “Wyatt!  Um…if you want to get in that office, now is a time to do it!”

 

Snapping to attention, Wyatt raced down the hall back to where he could see Bam Bam battling it out in hand to hand combat with Garcia Flynn.  A bloodied Henry Clay Frick was desperately trying to crawl away from a crazed Alexander Berkman who was now brandishing a file at both him and John Leishman.  Wyatt crashed into the scene, gun drawn an immobilized Berkman with one shot to the leg and one blow to the head.  He kicked away his file and the .38 that he had dropped throwing him roughly to the corner of the office, unconscious.  Frick and Leishman breathed out their thanks, but in that moment Wyatt’s hate for them returned full force.  He stood there staring at them…rich, powerful jackasses who never took responsibility for the over 4000 lives they took, all so they could have a place to fish and swim. Flashes of the dead he saw in Johnstown flitted through his mind, Lucy’s broken and bloodied body lying lifeless underneath that tree and it was all too much to take in.  With tears of rage falling down his face, Wyatt shakily pointed his gun at the two of them.

 

‘Wyatt…what the hell are you doing?” Rufus gritted out desperately as Bam Bam continued to battle with Flynn in the corridor. 

 

“They killed her Rufus…Flynn would never have blown that dam if they would have just listened to the engineer.  If they would’ve fixed it, she never would have died.”

 

“Wyatt!” Rufus yelled as he pulled his free arm.  “C’mon man, this is not who you are.  You are not like Flynn.”

 

Wyatt’s hands shook as he wrenched his arm out of Rufus’ grip and held his gun in both hands staring at the Rittenhouse assholes who had basically ignored every warning, every concern about the dam and got away with it.  This wasn’t just for Lucy, it was for all of those 4,000 plus dead. 

 

“Wyatt, you do this, there’s no going back.” Rufus warned.  “How do you think Lucy would feel if you murdered someone for her?”

 

“She’s not here, is she, Rufus?” Wyatt spat out.  “These assholes are as much to blame as Flynn.”

 

“Killing them won’t change anything Wyatt.” Rufus said with a strained voice as he tightened his grip on Wyatt’s arm.  ‘C’mon man, they’re not worth it.” he pleaded. 

 

Once again, Wyatt was hit with an inner battle.  As much as he wanted to pull that trigger…he couldn’t…and it made him shake with fury. Fresh tears spilled out of his eyes as his knees nearly buckled from underneath him.  Rufus, seeing Wyatt’s slipping resolve, hugged him around the shoulders with one arm, and lowered his gun with another as Wyatt cried bitterly into his chest – ashamed for what he had almost done….or what he could not bring himself to do.  Rufus waved to Henry Clay Frick and John Leishman who both breathed out sighs of relief as they sat frozen watching him pull a despondent Wyatt away from the office.

 

“You okay, man?” Rufus asked Wyatt as he gripped his shoulders. 

 

But Wyatt wasn’t listening to Rufus, he was suddenly aware that he wasn’t seeing Flynn or Bam Bam and it caused a stab of panic to his heart. 

 

Dammit. 

 

He raced down to the Main Lobby, his eyes sweeping over every inch of the place in total desperation. There, next to the main door, was Bam Bam, bruised, bleeding and breathing heavily.  Wyatt was next to him in an instant, “Where’s Flynn?” he demanded with a growl. 

 

Grimacing, Bam Bam pointed towards the doors, “He just ran out.”

 

Not even stopping to check Bam Bam for injuries, Wyatt raced out of the doors and out onto the streets of downtown Pittsburgh ignoring Rufus’s pleas to remember what Agent Christopher had said.

 

Desperately searching the bustling street, Wyatt’s head was on a swivel looking for anyone who even resembled the psychopathic mad man.  He had almost given up hope of finding him when he suddenly saw Flynn limping off to his left towards the Monongahela River.  Wyatt aimed his gun, zoning in on a shot that would incapacitate Flynn when the sonofabitch turned his head, saw Wyatt, and took off like a shot down the street.  Wyatt sprinted after him as fast as his legs could carry him, dodging carriages, horses, and street cars as he pelted his way down the streets of 19thcentury Pittsburgh. 

 

Flynn had just reached the Hot Metal Bridge when Wyatt felled him with a shot to the leg.  His face twisted in pain, Flynn crawled to the nearest post on the bridge and propped himself up to look at Wyatt who had his gun pointed directly at Flynn’s chest.  “Are you going to shoot me Wyatt?” he asked with a wry smile.  “As you see, I’m unarmed.  Your newest team member saw to that.”  

 

Wyatt clenched his jaw as he worked to control the fury in his voice, “Oh there’s no doubt I’m going to kill you, you sonofabitch…but first, you’re going to tell me about Vegas 1963.”

 

Flynn gave him a curious look, “Now that is an odd request.  If you weren’t clever enough to figure it out then, why does it matter now?”

 

“Don’t play games with me, Flynn.  What the hell did you do in Vegas 1963?”

 

Flynn shook his head, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite so tense before.”  He studied him for a moment, before his eyes widened in understanding, “I was sorry to hear about Lucy.”

 

Wyatt cursed at him as his hands shook, “Don’t you dare talk to me about Lucy, you asshole.  You killed her.”

 

“I warned her.” Flynn disputed.  “I told her countless times not to interfere.”

 

“So you think she deserved it?” Wyatt gritted out as tears formed in his eyes.  “You think she deserved to die in that flood?”

 

Flynn jutted out his chin and studied Wyatt with narrowed eyes, “You’re a soldier, aren’t you?  You know as well as I do that there are casualties in war.  We may not like it…but those are the rules of the game.”

 

“Except this isn’t a game.” Wyatt yelled out, “These are people’s lives…this was Lucy’s life…and you took it away just to prove a damn point.”

 

Flynn sneered at him, “Well, you have a chance to end everything now.  You can shoot me and Rittenhouse will have free rein to do whatever the hell they want to do.”  He chuckled softly as he looked at Wyatt through narrowed eyes, “You think I’m bad? Wait until you see what they will do with the time machine.”

 

“I don’t give a damn about Rittenhouse.”  Wyatt growled as he moved closer to Flynn.

 

“Unwise” Flynn said “That was Lucy’s problem too.  She refused to see that they are the real villains here, not me.”

 

“Don’t you say another word about her.” Wyatt spat out in fury. 

 

Flynn nodded in what Wyatt surmised as mock sympathy, “I see.  She meant something to you?”  He leaned forward and whispered harshly to Wyatt, “Now you know how I feel.  When they murdered my family.”

 

“And you murdered Lucy.” Wyatt whispered dangerously as he pressed the gun into Garcia Flynn’s chest and gripped onto his shirt front.   “So tell me, asshole,” Wyatt continued as he  lifted him Flynn the ground and pressed his back against the bridge rail, “tell me what you did and I may think about letting you live.”

 

Flynn smiled at him maliciously, “You should have shot me when you had the chance.” In one quick move, Flynn knocked Wyatt’s gun out of his hands and gripped him by the throat, turned quickly and slammed him into the bridge post.  Despite injured leg, Flynn threw all of his weight against Wyatt as he pummeled him with punch after punch to his face and body.

 

Having not eaten in several days, Wyatt was weaker than he normally would be on a mission and every blow Flynn delivered seemed to sap him of the little strength he had left.  He had failed.  Flynn now had the upper hand, he had no gun, no way of making him talk. It was not going to end like this. It couldn’t.  Wyatt mustered up the rest of his strength and gripped Flynn around the throat, the two men, choking each other and leaning dangerously over the bridge railing. 

 

“I’m going to kill you, Wyatt.” Flynn gritted out angrily as pushed Wyatt further over the railing. 

 

“Go ahead,” Wyatt gasped. “Put me out of misery.” He gripped hard onto Flynn’s neck as he pressed his foot up against the lamp post readying himself to push them both over the rail into the churning water below, “But if I’m gonna go, I’m taking you with me, asshole.” 

 

BANG.

 

A deafening shot rang out as Wyatt felt the full weight of Garcia Flynn slump down on him.  He looked up in shock to see Bam Bam standing just to the right of him, lowering a smoking gun and Rufus standing nearby, his mouth wide in disbelief. 

 

“What the hell did you do?!” Wyatt shouted at him in anger as he pushed Flynn away from him. 

 

“I just saved your life, Wyatt.” Bam Bam said seriously.  “What the hell were _you_ doing?”

 

Wyatt didn’t answer him. Garcia Flynn lay on the bridge path, unconscious and bleeding.  Wyatt crouched down beside him frantically searching for a pulse.  “C’mon, c’mon you bastard.” He gritted out through tears of rage.  He pushed himself off the ground in a fury and made a dive towards Bam Bam only to be held back by Rufus.  “Damn you, Bam Bam!” 

 

Wyatt cursed as his tears spilled out onto his flushed cheeks.  It was all over.  There was nothing he could do.  

 

Garcia Flynn was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Stina, for looking over the action in this for me.


	26. Chapter 26

When Wyatt was first called into Mason Industries nearly a year and half ago, he had never imagined the road that this particular assignment would take him.  Time travel was the last thing on his mind as he sat in that darkened waiting room in the dead of night waiting to be briefed on the high-risk mission he was asked to undertake.  Even further from his mind as he sat there doing his best to look cold and aloof, was that the nervous and chatty woman ushered in shortly after his arrival would mean more to him than life itself. 

 

And now she was gone. 

 

Really gone. 

 

There would be no way to know what had happened in 1963 to bring Jessica back now that the only person who had that knowledge was dead.

 

Tears stung Wyatt’s eyes as he sat with his head in his hands in the conference room…a room where he had spent countless hours with Lucy going over missions and preparing for new ones.  An excitement, subdued at best, filled the air as Dave Baumgardner shook Agent Christopher’s hand while she thanked him for his role in dispatching the threat that was once Garcia Flynn.  The moment was definitely bittersweet.  Now that Flynn was dead, Anthony Bruhl was expected to contact them at any time to arrange for a transfer of the Mothership. 

 

History was saved. 

 

Their job was done.

 

Mission accomplished. 

 

Except without Lucy, it didn’t feel complete. 

 

It didn’t feel right.  No one in the room could smile with the knowledge that one of their key players was not here to witness this day…and no one felt her absence more than Wyatt.

 

Unlike Wyatt, she had not signed up for this willingly, nor was she chosen by default, like Rufus. She had been sought out…asked - bullied even - to put herself at risk to save history and what had it cost her?  Everything.   She lost her sister, her father, had faced a litany of changes to her life that no one else on the team had…and now, Lucy, the civilian, who had never asked for any of this, was dead…and there wasn’t a damn thing Wyatt could do about it.

 

With Flynn gone, there was no need for him to be there anymore.  He was reminded with a pang that it wouldn’t be long before new orders would come in and then he would be off to some new location. Leaving Mason, leaving San Francisco, just about guaranteed that Wyatt would never be able to change anything, even if he did figure out a way to bring her back.  There would be no way they would ever let him near that time machine again…and he was pretty damn sure that after the mess that Flynn started, the government would absolutely forbid further trips to the past…Connor Mason’s life’s work would be sealed away in some black site somewhere and never be allowed to see the light of day again.     

 

The thought of leaving the apartment they shared for just a short space of time, the thought of packing away her things like he had done Jessica’s, made him ill.  It would drive the point home with a finality that shook him to his core that she was not coming back.  How in the hell could he pick up the pieces of his broken existence and move on?  Who knows where he would end up?   Did it really matter?  He saw her everywhere…in the books she loved, in the perfume she wore, in the places they traveled together. There was no where he could go where he could truly escape her, yet he felt that by leaving San Francisco, he would be severing the last connection he had with her and it made his already broken heart, break all the more.

 

Slowly Wyatt made his way back to the locker room to change. He took his time as he dressed, easing his modern clothes over the bruises that covered his body.  As he shoved his hand in his jacket pocket, he once again felt cool metal of Lucy’s rings and he was hit with such a strong pang of longing it made his knees buckle.  He collapsed onto the bench and held them in his fingers, pressing them to his lips. He had had so much hope…a new life, a new beginning with Lucy at his side.  It was the life he had always wanted but never felt like he deserved…and now it was gone.  All gone.

 

“You ready to go, man?” Rufus’s voice echoed in the empty space of the locker room. 

 

“No.” Wyatt sighed heavily. “I can’t go back there…not tonight.”

 

Rufus sat next to him on the bench, “There’s always room on my couch, ya know.”

 

Wyatt nodded imperceptibly and frowned in thought, “I think…I’m gonna stick around here…see if I can get Agent Christopher to let me look through some old mission reports.”

 

Wyatt slowly stood up and made his way to the locker room door before Rufus’ voice called out to him once more, “I know what you’re doing, Wyatt.  You can look through all the mission reports you want,” he sighed heavily, “but Flynn is dead…the mission is over, there is no way in hell Agent Christopher is going to let you change anything just to get back Lucy.”

 

Wyatt turned and glared at him, “ _Just_ to get back Lucy?”  he whispered dangerously, “What the hell, Rufus?  She was your friend.  How can you sit there and –“

 

“And be realistic?” Rufus interrupted gently.  “Wyatt, I’m sorry.  I know you’re hurting, but you’ve got to come to grips wi-“

 

“Good night, Rufus.” Wyatt muttered as he opened the locker room door forcefully, leaving his former teammate sitting alone.

 

It took some convincing, but finally Agent Christopher, seeing Wyatt’s desire to look over the old reports as a coping mechanism, allowed him to take the files to peruse. She told him kindly to take all the time that he needed and reminded him that there was no rush for him to return to Pendleton as she had already secured his bereavement leave.  That, at least, was something.  As much as he couldn’t bear the thought of being in their apartment surrounded by memories, Wyatt was grateful that he would not have to leave a place where he had felt so loved so soon after Lucy’s death.  He didn’t know if he could ever bring himself to fully part with a place that had meant so much to him in such a short space of time.  Their home. 

 

He wandered the halls of Mason, finding that every nook and cranny was either occupied or too exposed to allow him the peace and quiet he needed to focus.  At the end of this mission there seemed to be government agents in just about every corner of the place filing reports, compiling data, taking in evidence.  Sighing heavily, he made his way down the hall past the locker rooms, until he found himself standing outside the small conference room where Lucy had told him he was going to be a father. The memory of that night came crashing down upon him as he opened the door and stood paralyzed in the entryway.  The feel of her heartbeat next to his own as he held her, the smell of her hair as he cried into it, the sound of her voice when she told him that she loved him.  Why in the hell in all of the labyrinthine mess of Mason was this room the only one available?     

 

Wyatt eased himself down in a seat at the table and opened the first mission report.  On and on he read, well into the night and into the next morning, each report filling him with indescribable sadness.  Not only did they make him ache for Lucy, seeing these missions from the other him’s point of view, filled Wyatt with regret on how much time he had wasted with the Lucy in his own timeline.  It was clear to him that his other self had fallen hard for Lucy well before Bonnie and Clyde and if he had been honest with himself, he would have had to admit that Lucy had stolen his heart well before that too.   Trying his damnedest not to get distracted by regrets, he scoured every last detail of every mission searching vainly for anything that might allow him to go back and change things…anything that might bring her back to him before he had to leave Mason Industries forever.    

    

He had just opened the mission report for the Boston Massacre, the one he had read so many times before, when a soft knock followed by the opening of the conference room door, pulled Wyatt’s attention away from the folder lying before him. 

 

“Rufus told me you would probably be here.” Bam Bam said with a frown.  “Do you mind if I spoil your fun for a while?”

 

Wyatt rubbed his eyes and shrugged resignedly.  He wanted to hate Bam Bam for all the trouble he had caused - for getting Lucy hurt, for flirting with her unashamedly, for shooting Garcia Flynn – but he found that he couldn’t.  Whatever Dave Baumgardener’s faults, he was at his heart, a good guy and Wyatt was proud to know him…he just couldn’t look at him right now. 

 

“Listen, I wanted to see you before I head back to Pendleton,” Bam Bam began.  “I know it was you who put in the good word for me to be a part of all this, so…thank you.”  He paused to see if this would elicit a response from Wyatt, but he remained as stoic as ever, so Bam Bam continued. “I know you don’t want to hear this right now, Wyatt…but I’m really sorry.”

 

“What are you sorry for, Bam Bam?”  Wyatt asked in a hoarse voice.  “Shooting Flynn?  Saving my life?  You shouldn’t be apologizing for any of that.  I should be thanking you.”  He scoffed, “I  just…can’t.” Wyatt sighed as rubbed his forehead roughly with his hand.

 

“That’s just it.” Bam Bam, exclaimed sullenly as he sat down next to Wyatt at the table.  “I know that you wanted him alive so that you could save her.”  When Wyatt gave him a puzzled sideways glance, Bam Bam nodded in understanding, “Rufus told me.”

 

Wyatt frowned, “I thought maybe if I could figure out what Flynn had done, we could go back and change things.  Then maybe she would have never…”

 

“Yeah…” Bam Bam said quietly. “I really made a mess of things, didn’t I?”

 

Wyatt shook his head with a small smirk, “It wasn’t all bad.”  Wyatt lifted the report in his hand, “You pulled off a shot that saved the Boston Massacre…that’s something.”

 

“Yeah, but I went out for that drink.” He shook his head ruefully, “I never meant for either of them to get hurt…if I could go back and change _that_ , I would.” 

 

“I know.” Wyatt said softly as his face fell.  “She defended you, ya know?  She told me that it was no different than any of the screw ups we had on our missions.”

 

“Yeah, but your team had never gotten hurt before.”  Bam Bam rubbed Wyatt’s shoulder, “You took good care of them, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt nodded, suddenly feeling very alone.  His team was gone.  The family he had gained over the last year was no more.  He had no one who needed him, no one who relied on him.  He swallowed hard as that reality crashed down like a two ton weight on his heart.

 

Bam Bam cleared his throat, “Nah…Lucy shouldn’t have defended me.  Going for that drink in the middle of the Boston Massacre was stupid.” 

 

“Yeah, that _was_ stupid.” Wyatt agreed.  “But not as stupid as that time in Paris when Rufus got captured because you were flirting with that nurse.”

 

Bam Bam chuckled, ‘She was a cute nurse, though.  Funny to think that she would’ve probably been in her 90s when I was born.”  He sighed, “No…I really didn’t do much good around here.  Just caused a lot of problems.”  He shook his head ruefully, “Even killing Garcia Flynn…I didn’t mean to do that, ya know? I was aiming for his shoulder...just to get him to loosen his grip on you.”

 

“You were never a crack shot.” Wyatt murmured as good-naturedly as he could though he wished Bam Bam a thousand miles away.  Listening to him admit that he hadn’t been trying to kill Garcia Flynn just made him hate the universe even more.

 

Bam Bam sighed, “Well, I’ll take that shot in Boston, then.”  He smirked at Wyatt.  “Truth be told, I think I only pulled it off because I was trying to impress Lucy.” 

 

Wyatt’s jaw clenched as he closed his eyes remembering why he hadn’t been on that mission.  Bam Bam was still talking, but Wyatt was only thinking about how much he had hurt her by leaving to go after Jessica.  Rufus’s words that she repeated back rang in his ears, “If you go after Jessica, you stand to lose Lucy.” and in the end he had, hadn’t he?  He lost her. Sending that telegram in 1962, convincing her to go along with Flynn’s shit plan in 1780…all in pursuit of Jessica. And now she was alive and Lucy wasn’t…he as good as killed her by trying to change Jessica’s fate.

 

“…gosh man, that Vegas trip was wild.  It would’ve been something to play the tables, make some bets knowing what we know.” Bam Bam shrugged in regret, “Ah well, at least we did a good deed while we were there.  I guess I can add saving that Western Union guy from getting hit by the tour bus to that lucky shot in the Boston Massacre.”  He slapped Wyatt on the back, “I need all the wins I can get, don’t I?” 

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes in irritation.  He wished Bam Bam would just leave him the hell alone.  He didn’t want to reminisce anymore.  He wanted to get on with his search for any possible clue that could help him…

 

“Wait, what did you say?” Wyatt asked incredulously. 

 

Bam Bam stared at him blankly, “How I wished we could’ve placed some bets in Vegas?  We could’ve been sitting pretty right now livin-“

 

“No.” spat out Wyatt frantically, “the tour bus…that guy you pulled away from curb?”

 

“Yeah…it was that Western Union guy.  Remember? Rufus and I were singing that song for the next five blocks, _Western Union da da da da da da da da-“_

“Will you shut up, Bam Bam?” Wyatt shouted as he jumped up from the table, “I’m trying to think!”

 

Wyatt’s brain was spinning. All this time he had thought it was Flynn who had changed things…but what if…what if it was them?  Bam Bam?  He closed his eyes as he tried to remember that day.  They hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before, they had searched every casino and every damn lead they thought they had led them to just another dead end.  They had been standing in the sweltering heat on that sidewalk waiting for Rufus to come back from buying himself a snow cone when Wyatt had yelled out to Bam Bam to watch out for the tour bus that had just run the red light.  Bam Bam, who had been standing dangerously close to the curb, jumped back and made a grab for the kid who had just stepped into the road. He would’ve been toast if it hadn’t been for Bam Bam.  Rufus had come back just in time to see the save and had started singing that damn song as soon as he saw the logo on the kid’s shirt. 

 

How could he have forgotten that? 

 

It was such an insignificant thing at the time…more of annoyance than anything since he had to listen to Bam Bam and Rufus wail for the next few blocks before he finally had enough and threatened to throw them both in front of the next tour bus he saw. He hadn’t really given it another thought.  Why would he? He was so exhausted when they had gotten back, tired from running non-stop in that God-awful desert heat, mad as hell that it had been a complete waste of time, and then he had walked into his apartment and there…was Lucy.

 

Holy shit. 

 

“Bam Bam” Wyatt breathed out urgently, grasping Dave Baumgardner by the shoulders, “where’s Rufus?”

 

“Um…I’m not sure” Bam Bam responded in bewilderment, “he said something about doughnuts in the break room...are you okay, Wyatt?”

 

But Wyatt didn’t stay to answer him, he was already racing through the corridors of Mason Industries in search of Rufus.  His heart was pounding at the thought that maybe tonight…maybe he would have Lucy back again.  He burst through the break room door as Rufus was biting into a large glazed doughnut. “Rufus!  I know how we can save her!”

 

“Wha?” asked Rufus with a mouthful of doughnut.  He swallowed hard, “Wyatt, dude…you look like hell...even more than you did yesterday. Did you not sleep at all?” 

 

“No,” he shook his head unconcernedly, “I was up all night reading the mission reports.”

 

Rufus shook his head and set his doughnut down on the table.  “Wyatt, I already told you, there is no way they are going to let you change things.  Flynn is dead.  The mission is over.”

 

Wyatt leaned close to Rufus and whispered, “So we steal the LifeBoat and get her back.”

 

Rufus stood back and gaped at him, “Are you out of your damn mind?  Do you know what they’ll do to you when we get back?  Hell, do you know what they’ll do to me?”

 

“Rufus, if we reset the timeline, we’ll come back and no one will know we stole the time machine. It’ll be different.”

 

“And what if it isn’t?” Rufus countered.  “What makes you so sure you know what Flynn did in 1963 to change all of this?”

 

“It wasn’t Flynn.” Wyatt said resolutely.  “It was Bam Bam.  It was _us_.  The Western Union guy Bam Bam pulled out of the road in Vegas, do you remember?”

 

“Oh yeah!” Rufus exclaimed, “ _Western Union Da da da da da da da da”_

“Yeah, I know….you don’t have to sing it.”  Wyatt said irritably as he shook his head.

 

“Yeah, but Wyatt…how can you be sure that’s it?  Do you even know if Jessica got that telegram?”

 

“No,” Wyatt admitted, “but Rufus that has to be it.  It has to…it’s too much of a coincidence.”

 

Rufus shook his head, “I don’t know Wyatt…it seems a little iffy to me.  Why would saving one Western Union employee affect the telegram?  It’s not like no one else could send that.”

 

Wyatt rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.  Damn Rufus and his logical thinking.  “What else could it be, Rufus?  I mean, we went to Vegas and Jessica was dead…we save that guy and come back to a timeline where Lucy and I are married _because_ what I did in 1962 had somehow saved Jessica. It has to be the telegram.  It has to be.”

 

Rufus nodded thoughtfully, “Maybe…”

     

We can reset the timeline and bring her back, Rufus. We can do it.”

 

“Ummmm…not necessarily.” Rufus muttered inching himself away from Wyatt.

 

Wyatt looked up sharply, “What the hell do you mean by that?”

 

Rufus gave an apologetic shrug as he backed away from the death glare Wyatt was shooting him, “Now…now Wyatt, don’t get mad, okay?  There’s just no way to know if we can change anything…you know as well as I do how finicky time travel can be.”

 

“Why wouldn’t we be able to change it, Rufus?”  Wyatt spat out desperately.  “If we set things back to how they were before…”

 

“We have no way of knowing if what we do will make things different.  Wyatt, we’ve been in this timeline for three weeks.  There’s no way to know what could have been if we had stayed in that other timeline.  Hell, we could have gone on the same damn missions and Lucy could still..”

 

“Don’t.” Wyatt lifted a finger in warning as tears sprang to his eyes, “Don’t you dare say it, Rufus.” he whispered harshly.

 

He laid a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder, “Look, I’m just trying to be realistic here, okay?  I don’t want you to get your hopes up and then it all comes to nothing”

 

Wyatt sighed heavily as he sank down onto the nearest chair, his head cradled in his hands, “I have to try.  Please, Rufus. You’re the only one who can help me.”

 

Despite his better judgement, Rufus’ heart went out to the typically strong and confident soldier sitting helpless and broken before him.  He thought about how desperate he had been in Pittsburgh and remembered with a pang how terrified he was to see Wyatt ready to pitch himself off of the bridge with Garcia Flynn.  If he didn’t help Wyatt, he wasn’t sure what he would do…and that thought terrified him. Losing Lucy had been hard enough, losing Wyatt too?  “Okay,” Rufus sighed as he took a seat next to Wyatt. “Look, Mason and Christopher are in a meeting with some big wig investor right now and I overheard Christopher telling Mason that she is leaving here this evening to meet with Anthony and lock down the Mothership.  If you really want to do this thing, that would be the time to do it.”

 

Wyatt’s face broke out into a wide grin, “You mean it?  You’ll help me?”

 

“Yeah…of course.   I mean, it’s Lucy.”  Rufus said with a smile.  “But listen, you’ve got to come up with a fool proof plan.  There’s no take two here…if we come back and we were wrong?  You and I go to jail for a very, very long time…and Lucy will still be dead.”

 

Wyatt nodded, “I’ve got it…we can do this Rufus.  We can bring her back.  We can save her.”

 

Rufus picked up his half-eaten doughnut, “Alright then, you probably want to go back home and change your clothes…maybe shower…I mean, I’m not judging…but dude, I’m serious – you look like actual hell.”

 

Wyatt nodded and made his way towards the break room door before he stopped, “I didn’t drive here…you brought me in.”  Rufus was about to answer before Wyatt waved him away, “Nah, just forget it…I’ll call a cab.”

 

Entering his apartment, Wyatt was filled with a restlessness that would not subside no matter what he did. Yes, he showered.  Yes, he even managed to force down a piece of pizza from the box that Rufus had left from the day before…but his stomach was too anxious to hold much more than that.  He spent the majority of the day agonizing over every in and out of their upcoming rescue mission.  As Rufus said, it had to be perfect…they only had one shot at this.  One shot to reset the timeline and get Lucy back. 

 

The rest of the time he spent soaking in as much as he could from their apartment.  Pictures, mementos…hell, just the feeling of the place.  If they were successful, this would be the last time he would be here.  He took the ultrasound photo from the fridge, his heart aching at the loss.  He didn’t want to forget, he didn’t want to lose this. What if, like Rufus suggested they did this and she was gone?  All of this could be gone too.  He would have no physical reminder of what he had once had…of how his life had been pretty damn near perfect for one brief shining moment.  He tucked the photo into his wallet and then ran to the bedroom to the framed picture of their wedding day.  If this was going to be the last time he would be in this timeline, if this could possibly be the last time he would be able to capture how happy he had been with Lucy, he was not going to leave it behind – he needed to take something with him…to help him remember.  

 

A knock on his door, brought Wyatt out of his reverie.  Confused at who it could possibly be, he wrenched open the door to find himself face to face with Jessica. 

 

Of all the people that he didn’t want to see right now, at this moment, she topped the list.  As he stood there gaping at her, it hit him full force what bringing Lucy back would mean for the woman he had lost six years ago. Jessica offered him a sympathetic smile and held up a paper bag.  “I brought you some soup.”  He cursed inwardly as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, “I’m glad to see that you’re up and about…but what happened to your face?  Did you get in a fight?” 

 

“Huh?” Wyatt asked, before remembering that his face was marred with bruises from his battle with Garcia Flynn.  “Oh…yeah.” He shrugged indifferently,  “It was nothing…just something with work.”

 

“Work?  Wyatt, my God…you just lost your wife.  Why are you going to work?” 

 

“I needed the distraction, Jess.”  Wyatt breathed out.  “Look, I was just…”

 

“I know…you don’t like people intruding on you when you’re brooding.” Jessica said with a raised hand. “But I promised your friend I would watch out for you and that’s exactly what I’m doing…so, have a seat…I’ll get your soup ready.”  Jessica began shuffling around in his kitchen, “I had some extra time today, I got a promotion already at my new job…can you believe it?  It’s literally been a dream come true.  So, when I got out of my meeting a little early, I thought I’d pay some of that good will forward and keep my promise to check in on you.  I hope you like potato ham…it’s comfort food all the way.”

 

Every word she uttered was causing Wyatt more and more grief.  He couldn’t do this…he couldn’t take her kindness, allow her to take care of him when he was on his way to put her back in her grave.

 

“No, Jess…look, it’s not that I don’t appreciate this.”  Wyatt said with a pained expression, “It’s just that…I have to leave,” tears filled his eyes as he looked at her, “and I probably won’t be seeing you again.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jessica asked him in confusion, “Like for a while?  Or are you talking something more…permanent?”

 

“Permanent.” Wyatt whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the floor. 

 

Jessica turned to face him in shock, “Can you tell me where you’re going?”  Wyatt bit his lip and scrunched his eyes shut, “No…of course you can’t.” she muttered.  “What is it? Some sort of infiltration gig?”

 

Wyatt shook his head. “Witness protection?” she asked. 

 

“No.” he answered.   

 

 “Some sort of suicide mission?”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “No…nothing like that…I can’t tell you the details” he trailed off looking like every word that he was about to utter was causing him physical pain, “but if it works, I’m not going to be coming back here.”

 

“Wyatt, that is bullshit! There is such a thing as bereavement leave.”  She shook her head in fury, “I know it’s the damn Army, but come on, there’s got to be somebody else they can send.”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “No…I don’t trust anybody else to do this.  It’s got to be me.”

 

“Why?” said Jessica, crying now.

 

“Please don’t cry, Jess…” Wyatt said as he threw his hands over his face. 

 

Why the hell did she have to show up at his door right now? 

 

“Wyatt, I just got you back in my life.  I thought we could be friends, at least, again….I mean, we we’ve known each other for so long.  Please tell me why you’re doing this!”

 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” he shook his head and dropped his gaze back to the floor. 

 

“Try me.” Demanded Jessica as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

 

Wyatt rubbed a hand over his forehead and cursed, “Dammit, Jess…I can’t tell you, alright?  I have to do this.  I have to…and it’s killing me because it’s going to change some things and I’m going to have to live with that…learn to live with my damn regrets.”

 

“Why?” she asked him again as she gripped onto his arms.

 

Wyatt stared at her, his resolve cracking under the penetrating intensity of her gaze.  Three weeks ago, he had wanted nothing more than to save her life.  He had thought that being married to her had been the happiest he could ever be…but after being faced with the cold hard reality that he had idealized so much of what they had out of guilt, he had come to the realization that he would always love Jessica…but he wasn’t in love with her.  Not anymore. 

 

But was that any reason to strip her of her life now?  Just because he wasn’t in love with her?  Just because their marriage wasn’t all he had believed it to be in the haze of five year’s worth of mourning?   Did she deserve to lose the second chance at life she had been given just because Wyatt loved Lucy more? 

 

She didn’t deserve that. She deserved to live her life and be happy.  She deserved to live a life where she wasn’t bogged down with the stress and unhappiness of a marriage to a man who wasn’t there for her when she needed him most.  Wyatt was the man who had denied her the child she had wanted for his own selfish reasons, the man who had refused to work on their marriage with a counselor, the man who refused to face his demons until it was too late…he was the one who had left her on the side of that lonely road to die and now he was about to rob her of the life she could have and should have had. 

 

He was a selfish bastard. How could he do this?  How could he fail her again? 

 

He looked down at the wedding picture he had tightly gripped in his hand.  His breath hitched in his throat as he looked at himself gazing in wonder at Lucy.  That Wyatt had been freed from the burden of Jessica’s death, free to move on with Lucy. Hell, wasn’t he free to move on with Lucy in his own timeline?  But he didn’t even try, why?  Jessica had been dead for five years – ‘til death do us part kind of ended the legal and moral obligation’ he had to her, but emotionally?  He was punishing himself and instead of listening to his heart and moving on, he meddled with time so that he could rid himself of the burden of guilt at her death.  Now, he was facing the consequences of his selfishness.  It was hard to lose Jessica the first time, but now?  Seeing her alive, happy, and thriving and knowing that he was going to rip that all away from her?  Knowing that there was no guarantee that what he was about do would bring Lucy back?  That ultimately he could lose both of them by screwing with time to fix his regrets?  

 

But it wasn’t just about _his_ regrets.  It was about putting things back as they should be.  If he and Lucy had never been married, had lived as they had been in his timeline, would he have lost her?  Would Lucy have been so ill during the draft riots that she fainted leading to her discussion with Garcia Flynn under that tree about giving people the chance to choose?  Would Flynn have still been out to prove her wrong?  Would he and Lucy have missed that first jump if he hadn’t turned off the damn phones so that they could finally have a private moment at home? No.  Wyatt was sure things would’ve been different.    

 

‘Why?” Jessica asked again more forcefully.

 

He gritted his teeth, willing himself to stay strong, “I have to.  It’s the right thing to do.  I have to make things right, I have to…and if I could do that and still have you in my life, Jess…I would.  I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

 

Jessica studied him for a while and then began digging through her purse.  She opened her wallet and pulled out a very ratty and faded piece of paper that had been folded over several times.  After a moment’s hesitation, she handed it over to Wyatt. “Here...take a look at this.”

 

Slowly, Wyatt unfolded the note that she had handed him and immediately sank down to the sofa in shock. There, in his hands, was the extremely faded and well-worn telegram he had sent her from 1962.   He read over his words…those words of warning and love and it brought fresh tears to his eyes as he was faced with the confirmation that this was indeed, the key to getting Lucy back.  But with that knowledge came the unavoidable outcome that by destroying the telegram he would be giving life to Lucy while robbing Jessica of hers.

 

How the hell was he going to be able to do this?  Why did she have to come here?

 

“That right there,” said Jessica, “was the craziest thing that ever happened to me in my life. There I was at home and I get this damn telegram…from 1962.  How the hell someone in 1962 would know who I was and who I would be married to kinda freaked me out…had to be one of those Vegas psychics, right?”  Jessica nodded at Wyatt.  “I’ve never shown this to another living soul…but this note right here?  I believe it changed my life, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt’s hands shook as he tried to steady his voice, “How?”

 

“Well, believe it or not, I got that the night we had that big fight at the Pelican Lounge.  You know, I almost asked you to pull the damn truck over and let me out.  But that telegram told me to go home with you…it had predicted the fight…and so I thought, better do what it says.” 

 

Wyatt closed his eyes and nodded.

 

“I have no idea what would have happened if I had asked you to pull over that night.  I had hoped that this telegram meant that we were supposed to work things out…but months later, it was clear things were just getting worse between us.  I didn’t know what to think about this note…thought someone had gotten it all wrong.”

 

“Why are you telling me this?”  Wyatt asked as tears fell from his eyes. 

 

“Because sometimes Wyatt, what we think we’re supposed to do…or what we think is supposed to happen…isn’t what we expect at all.  I don’t know what it is that makes you think that leaving everything you know is right, and I’m not here to tell you that you’re wrong…but I do know that that note right there, wasn’t an accident.”

 

No.  It wasn’t an accident.  Wyatt had purposefully sent the damn thing to change her fate…and by doing so, he had inadvertently sacrificed Lucy.  Jessica, the wife had loved and lost was saved and Lucy, the woman who had saved him and made him the man he was now, was gone.  He looked up at Jessica, beautiful, lovely Jessica, and his heart broke at the knowledge that this telegram, this note, that she considered and revered to be the work of some kind of Guardian Angel, would be used against her to assure her demise.  

 

How could he do it? Send her back into a murderer’s clutches?  How could he?   But then again, how could he live knowing that Lucy was dead because of him?  Because of what he had done to bring Jessica back? Jessica, like Noah, didn’t belong here. Noah’s presence for Lucy, had been a glaring reminder that Amy was gone.  Jessica’s very existence, her very presence in his apartment was evidence of his meddling…and what it had cost. 

        

He broke down in tears as he came to the realization that no matter how much he had wanted to live a life where Jessica had never died and Lucy was his, it was not possible.  He had to choose. 

 

He sat there with his head in his hands hearing Rufus’ warning to him, _We have no way of knowing if what we do will change anything._   Living in this timeline for three weeks, as Rufus had said, they had no idea of the choices the could have made had they never left.  What if they went back and destroyed the telegram and Lucy was still gone?  He will have lost both of them…and the thought of that possibility made him ill. 

 

But how could he not try? 

 

The alarm on his phone buzzed, indicating the time he and Rufus agreed he should be heading back to Mason.  He felt as though he were standing at a precipice…like no matter what he did, he was going to tumble down into an abyss of guilt and self-loathing.  He stood quickly and crossed over to his phone, casting a sad glance at Jessica as she looked helplessly at him. 

 

“Is it time for you to go?” she asked quietly.

 

“Yeah.” Wyatt returned. 

 

She wrapped him up in her arms and cried into his shoulder as he pressed a kiss to her temple and gasped out through his own tears, “I’m so sorry, Jess.”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Garcia Flynn wasn't the key after all...it was Bam Bam!! Kudos to Magdalena who figured this out on her own when she did a reread...(Chapter 3 folks...it's in there!!) 
> 
> As for the song they sang...if you didn't grow up listening to Oldies music like I did, let me give you a little education...  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T4QavHx8kg
> 
> Originally he was going to have a long heart to heart with Rufus, but I felt like it was important for him to say goodbye to Jessica. So Rufus plays a smaller role here in this chapter in getting him to come to grips with the choice of setting things right with the risk of losing everything or at least keeping Jessica. 
> 
> Now, because I've been SO busy writing other pics for Lyatt week, this fic got put on the back burner, so right now I'm not nearly as far along in Chapter 27 as I'd like to be....so I wouldn't expect another chapter update until maybe next week...unless by some miracle I get a lot of down time and my brain bounces back from all of that other writing I did. LOL. But I promise you, I AM working on it now. LOL. 
> 
> Happy reading and as always reviews are LIFE.


	27. Chapter 27

“What the hell took you so long?’ Rufus hissed at Wyatt as he eased his way into the dimly lit corridor. 

 

With the threat of Garcia Flynn gone, Mason Industries was a near ghost town at 6:30PM.  No longer were engineers and interns required to work around the clock, because there was no need to…not anymore.  The Mothership was being transferred into Government security and their own work on the time travel initiative was now halted due to a lockdown order from Homeland Security.  Bankers hours were the rule of the day now, and after almost a year of stress and overtime, the employees of Mason Industries didn’t need any other excuse to punch out as soon as that clock hit 5. 

 

Tension was apparent in all of Wyatt’s features, from his clenched jaw, fixed stare, and drawn up shoulders, he looked like a rubber band ready to snap.  Rufus eyed him warily, “You doing okay?” When Wyatt didn’t answer, Rufus held out his arm to stop him, “Hey Wyatt, what’s going on, man?”

 

Wyatt turned to face him, his eyes obviously swollen from crying, “It’s…nothing…let’s just go.”

 

Rufus stared at him, “This morning you were practically skipping out of here, but now…” Rufus gasped as realization dawned on him, “Jessica stopped by, didn’t she?”  When Wyatt remained sullen and silent, Rufus added, “It’s okay…I mean, we don’t _have_ to do this.”

 

“Yes, Rufus we do.” Wyatt spat out in grim determination. “Jessica shouldn’t be here.” He rubbed his hand across face, “It’s not like I want her dead…I don’t…but Lucy…”

 

“Yeah, Lucy.” Rufus sighed heavily as he surveyed Wyatt who was now holding his head in his hands.  “Wyatt…I’m not trying to get you to change your mind or anything, but what if this doesn’t work?  You could…ya know…”

 

“Lose both of them?” Wyatt breathed out heavily.  “Yeah, I know it’s a risk…but Rufus, if there’s one chance to get her back, how can I not try?”

 

Rufus nodded at Wyatt, offering him a wan smile before they set off down the hall again, “You do realize that if we reset the timeline, that could mean Flynn is alive and well again and we’re back to getting our asses shot at in every damn century?”

 

Wyatt frowned as he wrenched open the door to the locker room, “Just gives me another chance to take him out myself.”  He turned to look at the pilot with a face full of fierce determination, “Believe me Rufus, as much as I hate the idea of bringing Flynn back, if that’s what it means to save Lucy, then so be it.”

 

He and Rufus changed into the 1960s wardrobe that the latter had procured while waiting for the former to arrive.  While Rufus went out to check that the coast was clear, Wyatt carefully removed the wedding rings from his jacket pocket and placed them gently into the pocket of his 1960s suit coat.  The pictures he had taken from the apartment were safely stowed in his wallet…if he was doomed to come back to a timeline without Lucy in it, he would at least have these small reminders of what he had once had...not that they would offer him much comfort in his grief, but they would at least help him to remember her…them…and how happy they had been once upon a time. 

 

Minutes later, Wyatt emerged from the locker room and found himself clambering into the LifeBoat after Rufus.  His heart hammered in his chest as he sat down and adjusted his safety harness. This was happening, they were going to do this…in just a few hours Lucy could be standing right outside that hatch, waiting for him.   

 

“So,” said Rufus as he fired up the time machine, “headed back to 1963?”

 

“No.” said Wyatt as Rufus blinked up at him in surprise.  “September 22, 1962.  I want to go back to the day after I paid for that telegram, I don’t want to risk anything.”

 

Rufus nodded, “Good idea. Less room for error.  Let’s just pray this works, I really don’t want to spend the rest of my life in an orange jumpsuit.”  At Wyatt’s glare he added, “and I would really like to have Lucy back… I mean, for you…no, not just for you, I mean, she’s my friend too…”

 

‘Let’s just go Rufus.” Wyatt huffed out impatiently. 

 

With a rush of anticipation and exhilaration that they were breaking oh so many laws in stealing the time machine, Rufus sealed off the hatch and punched in the coordinates. “Viva Las Vegas…again.” he muttered as the LifeBoat sprang to life.

 

They whooshed into the early evening dusk of 1962 Vegas with a blast of air and dry desert earth.  “I feel like I was just here yesterday.” Rufus observed as he slid out of the open hatch and onto the ground below. 

 

“That’s because you were just here yesterday.” Wyatt answered with an “oomph” as he landed on the ground next to him. 

 

“Crazy to think that, right? You, me, and Lucy were right here just hours ago…not knowing what Flynn was going to do with that atomic bomb, thinking that our asses were going to be handed to us on a silver platter when Agent Christopher found out.” 

 

“Yeah.” Wyatt muttered, smiling slightly at the memory, but Rufus’ musings had him thinking of something else entirely.  Their counterparts, as it were, had just gone home to find themselves in a new timeline. That was how it all began…his new relationship with Lucy - pretending to be engaged, living with each other, falling for each other…getting married…and he was now on his way to make sure that timeline never happened.  It gave him an overwhelming sense of sadness to know that while trying to prevent one of the worst moments of his life, he would essentially be preventing the moments where he had been the happiest.     

If this worked, however, he could have those moments again…and they wouldn’t be stolen…they would be his. 

 

As he and Rufus made their way into the Sands hotel, they both stood and marveled at how everything looked exactly as they had remembered it.  To know that they had walked these very halls just hours before was surreal…and that Lucy had been there with them made the moment all the more transcendent.     

 

“Man, this is freaky deaky shit right here.” Rufus breathed out.  I feel like I’m gonna see myself coming off of an elevator or something.”  Wyatt could hardly argue with that assessment of the situation as his breath had just caught in his throat at the sight of a dark-haired woman donning a strapless waitress uniform.  Rufus looked nervously over at Wyatt who was seemed to be frozen to the spot, “Hey, you okay?”

 

Wyatt nodded, “Yeah, I was just…remembering something.”

 

In that very lobby, wearing a carbon copy of that dress, Lucy had confronted him just as he had paid for the telegram.  He was standing in almost the exact same spot where she had countered his “Look, I know what you’re going to say…” with a “No, you don’t.”  He had thought she would blame him or lecture him for trying to mess with history, she was the one, after all who gave him hell for bringing the modern gun that saved her life to 1937.  What he didn’t count on with Lucy Preston then, was her unparalleled humanity.  She sympathized, she understood…she had been his biggest cheerleader and ally in his quest to save his wife…and here he was, now trying to save her.

 

Wyatt marched resolutely up to the Western Union desk and cleared his throat, “Excuse me?”

 

A man Wyatt vaguely recognized as the gentleman who had assisted him before in 1962, looked up from the desk, ‘May I help you, sir?” 

 

Wyatt ducked his head with a bashful smile, “I don’t know if you remember me, but last night I had a little too much to drink…and I paid for a telegram that was…well, to be honest, it was a little crazy.”

 

“No refunds” the man said lazily as he went back to his work.

 

“No,” Wyatt chuckled nervously, “I’m not looking for a refund.  I was just wondering if I could get it back...ya know, before it’s sent out.”

 

The man behind the desk stared up at him with a curious expression, “Oh yeah…I remember you.  You’re the one who wanted to send a note to the future.” The man shrugged as he added, “Can’t say you’d be the first to try that.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Rufus piped up excitedly “Is that common for you guys?  People trying to send themselves gambling advice, betting odds, that sort of thing?”

 

The man stared at Rufus with narrowed eyes.  Rufus wilted a bit under the hardened gaze of the Western Union man, remembering all too late that he was not exactly on equal footing in this time period.  The awkward silence was broken after a few beats when the man, shrugged indifferently and muttered to the desk in front of him, “Something like that, yes.”

 

Wyatt cleared his throat again, “So, what would I have to do to get the telegram back?  Do I sign something?  Do I need to write out a formal request?  What?”

 

The man didn’t look up from his desk, but answered Wyatt with an indifferent, “I wouldn’t worry about it, sir.  The chances of that telegram reaching anyone you know 50 some odd years into the future?  You’d have better luck playing the tables.”

 

Wyatt and Rufus looked at each other, “Well, let’s say that it does…how would I go about stopping that?”

 

“I told you, you have nothing to worry about, sir.” he muttered more to the desk than to Wyatt.

 

“And I’m telling you that I want that damn telegram back.  Believe me when I tell you this is a matter of life and death.” Wyatt spat out angrily.  

 

“A matter of life and death?” asked the man as he raised his eyebrows, “How do you figure that?”

 

Rufus looked at Wyatt sheepishly but he showed no signs of intimidation.  Wyatt just bowed his head and breathed out, “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m telling you that telegram will cause nothing but trouble if I don’t get it back.”

 

Whether it was the earnest plea in Wyatt’s voice or the look of desperation on his face, the man behind the desk sighed deeply and pushed his chair over to the filing cabinet before calling out lazily, “Name?”

 

“It would’ve gone to Jessica Logan in 2012.” Wyatt said with a wavering voice.

 

“Hmmm…Logan, Logan...nope...don’t see it.  It must have been thrown away by the overnight shift.”

 

“No, that’s not possible. I know it’s not possible.” Wyatt maintained.  “It was just filed wrong or something.”

 

“Sir, I see nothing listed under Logan in these files.”

 

“Look again!” Wyatt yelled out despite himself causing the man to startle backwards away from the counter uneasily.  Rufus laid a hand on Wyatt’s arm, to calm him down, but Wyatt nudged it away, “Look, I’m telling you I know that telegram exists and I’m not leaving here without it.”

 

The man huffed loudly and stared daggers at Wyatt before he picked up his phone.  “Russell, could you come to the front desk, please?  For one brief moment, Wyatt thought that perhaps “Russell” was security and from the way Rufus was slowly backing himself towards the slot machines, that thought wasn’t too far from his own mind either. Instead of security however, a kid, one Wyatt immediately recognized as the one Bam Bam had saved, came slinking out of a back room, looking all too eager to please.  

 

“You called Mr. Easton?” Russell asked as he wrung his hands expectantly.

 

‘Yes, Russell.  I’m looking for a telegram for a Jessica Logan. It was dated to be sent in the year 2012…and it’s not in the files.” He looked sternly at the boy, “Do you know anything about that?”

 

If Wyatt weren’t so desperate to have the telegram back, he would’ve felt bad for Russell. Obviously, this kid took his job seriously.  His hair was combed to the side with impeccable precision, his shirt was starched to excess and capped with an obnoxious bow tie, the pleats in his pants were so crisp, Wyatt had never seen their equal – even in the military.  He had been looking at his superior with an eagerness that spoke of his desperation to please and impress, but at the stern remonstrance from Mr. Easton, Russell’s eyes widened behind his thick glasses and he hung his head down in the utmost shame, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Easton, please don’t be mad at me, I was just trying out a new filing system. These telegrams that don’t get sent out right away…there’s always a chance that they could get lost…”

 

“Your job is to file things exactly as I tell you to, not to make up your own system.”  Mr. Easton shook his head at him, “Go and get it then.” he added with an angry huff.  Russell slinked into the back room once more as Mr. Easton turned sheepishly to Wyatt and explained, “I hope you’ll forgive the delay…he’s a new hire, fresh out of high school…always trying to rock the boat, as it were.”  

 

Russell finally emerged minutes later holding the desired telegram.  Wyatt had never been so relieved to see a slip of paper in his entire life.  Mr. Easton took it roughly from the boy with a reprimand, “If you have any more of these back there in your files, then I suggest you bring them out here and put them back where they belong.”

 

Dejected, Russell returned from whence he came, as Mr. Easton turned once more to Wyatt with an affected smile, ‘I’m sorry about that sir, this new generation.” He shook his head, “The kid’s head is in the clouds…he’s fascinated by the idea of space travel, time travel and other such nonsense.”  He scoffed as he handed the unsent telegram to Wyatt, “Kennedy is doing him no favors filling his head with crazy ideas with all that ‘We choose to go the moon’ talk, it’ll never happen, you mark my words.”

 

Rufus made to say something, but thought better of it. 

 

Wyatt’s hands shook slightly as he glanced down at the telegram he now had tightly gripped in his fingers.  “This is it, right?  There’s no copy saved on a computer or something, somewhere?”

 

Mr. Easton looked up at him incredulously. 

 

“Haha!  Good one!”  Rufus interjected loudly with a meaningful glance to Wyatt, “Talk about head in the clouds,” he pointed to his friend as he pulled him away from the desk, shaking his head jovially, “this one, right here.”

 

Wyatt looked back at Rufus in confusion and then back at Mr. Easton who was still staring at him like he was a stark, raving lunatic.  “What the hell are you doing, Rufus?  I need to make sure there isn’t a copy!” Wyatt hissed. 

 

Rufus shook his head, “Look around you, Wyatt.” Rufus whispered harshly.  “Do you see a computer anywhere in here?  Hell, even the slot machines are actual damn slot machines.  Computers in the early 60s?  The only people who had them were scientists…which, you heard that guy…he definitely isn’t.”

 

Wyatt looked around awkwardly, “Oh yeah…right.”  He waved at Mr. Easton good naturedly as he stepped forward again, “So…this is it then?  I don’t have to sign anything?” Mr. Easton just shook his head at him, still gaping slightly, and went back to his work.     

 

Wyatt backed away from the counter with a nod until he was once again next to Rufus.  Together, they made their way towards the main lobby, before Wyatt halted, looking down at the telegram he gripped a little too firmly in shaking hands.    Rufus reached out and touched Wyatt’s arm, “You okay?”

 

“Yeah…yeah I’m fine.” he muttered in a way that spoke to anything but fine.  He furrowed his brow in an attempt to keep his voice steady as he explained, “Jessica showed this to me…before I came over to Mason.”  He scoffed slightly as the hint of a sardonic smile reached his lips, “She carried it around with her in her purse…it was all faded and creased…told me it had changed her life.  And now she won’t get it.”   he heaved out a shaky breath and leaned against a pillar.  “She’ll be dead again, because of me.”    

 

Rufus frowned slightly and gripped Wyatt’s shoulder, “You know, I’ve been thinking…we talk so much about fate and destiny…regrets…but what you just got to experience? That…that was a gift.”  Wyatt glanced up at him, “You got that second chance with Jessica…a chance to say goodbye…and you also got a chance to see what your life could be like with someone else…with Lucy.”  Rufus tightened his grip on Wyatt’s shoulder, “I don’t envy you the choice you have to make here, but Wyatt…you do have the opportunity to choose.  You can walk right back to that desk and give that telegram to Russell, knowing that it will save Jessica, or…”

 

Wyatt closed his eyes and nodded slightly, allowing the meaning of Rufus’ words to wash over him, “or I can burn this telegram right now and pray that Lucy is waiting for us when we get back home.”  Without a moment’s hesitation, Wyatt marched over to a pub table and snatched up a matchbook and an ashtray, thankful that both were so plentiful in 1962 Las Vegas…he had made it this far, there was no going back now. 

 

As he laid the telegram within the confines of the ceramic tray, Rufus chuckled nervously, “This _really_ is like _Back to the Future II_.”  Except, Wyatt thought, that this timeline hadn’t been a dystopian hellhole of an existence; it had been everything he could have ever hoped and wished for…until he lost the one person who had made it all possible.  As he struck the match and lit the corner of the now shriveling piece of paper, his heart simultaneously ached and rejoiced at what its destruction might mean.  Jessica would be dead…that was pretty much a guarantee.  But Lucy?   There was no way to know for sure if this would bring her back, but if it did...all the hell he had just gone through would’ve been worth it.  To see her again?  Hold her? People talk of bittersweet moments, but for Wyatt nothing could ever come close to this feeling…knowing that he was dooming one woman to her fate while hoping against all hope that he was saving another woman from hers _._   He watched until the last bit of telegram was consumed by the flame and only left when it was nothing more than a pile of smoldering ashes.  He thought that perhaps he would feel different, that something in the universe would shift and he would know almost instinctively that Lucy was alive, but he felt nothing but emptiness. 

 

Rufus, taking note of the somber expression on Wyatt’s face, clapped his friend on the back and gave him a reassuring nod, “You did the right thing, Wyatt.”

 

He nodded tersely and straightened himself up, blinking back the tears, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”     

 

As they made their way across the Nevada desert, not far from where they had landed the LifeBoat just the day before, Wyatt felt a strange surge of satisfaction wash over him. Maybe it was what Rufus had just said, maybe it was being out underneath the stars…but Wyatt felt that for better or worse, he had done the right thing – he had restored the universe to its...well, almost proper course.  Jessica’s death, while tragic, had happened and as much as he wished that he had never pulled that damn truck off to the side of the road, the fact of the matter was, he had.  The consequences of her death, however, had led him to the job at Mason, to Lucy…and as strange as it was to admit, he was grateful for that.  Lucy had remade him into the man he currently was and no amount of regret could surpass the insurmountable joy he felt at just knowing her…the woman who saw in him someone worth saving.   He only hoped that this, what they had just done, would be enough to save her. 

 

As he clambered into the LifeBoat behind Rufus and sank back in his chair, he looked across at her empty seat with more than a little bit of trepidation.  In just a few short moments, they would know…he would either be caught up in a wave of unimaginable happiness or…

 

“Well, time to find out whether or not you and I are headed off to jail.” Rufus muttered as he flipped on the switches.

 

“Yeah…” Wyatt answered ruefully.  Jail was the least of his worries if they had failed.  He would have lost both Lucy and Jessica and he knew that if that were true, there would be no pulling him back from the brink this time - he would descend into a never-ending abyss of self-loathing and despair.  He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, “Let’s go home, Rufus.”   

 

“You got it, man” Rufus said with a flourish. 

 

Wyatt could not unbuckle himself fast enough when the LifeBoat materialized once more in the present. He waited with bated breath for the whirring motions of the time machine to come to a halt so that the hatch would open. Never had it seemed to take so long, but finally with a click and a mechanical buzz, the door slowly slid open to reveal a very crowded launch bay.  It wasn’t just full of interns and engineers, no….it was full of federal agents all of whom had their guns pointed directly at Rufus and Wyatt.

 

“Oh shit.” Rufus breathed out. “I thought you said if we did this it would reset the timeline?”  

 

Desperate, Wyatt searched the room for any sign of Lucy, as a wave of hopelessness and dread threatened to overtake him.  He stumbled out of the hatch with his hands up, straining his neck to see around the crowd assembled as Agent Christopher marched angrily up to the both of them, “What the hell were you two thinking?”

 

At that moment, Wyatt saw their historian…but not the one he was most anxious to see.  Mr. Chartris had shuffled out of the conference room, files in hand, with a haughty look on his face.

 

Wyatt’s knees buckled underneath him.  It hadn’t worked. Why the hell hadn’t it worked?  What had gone wrong?  _It was that Russell kid, he must have made a copy_ , Wyatt thought with painful regret. Now there was no way he could get her back.  This was his last shot and now Homeland Security would make damn sure he would never get near the time machine again.  He fell to his knees as agents pinned his arms behind his back.   

   

“Oh God, she’s still dead, isn’t she?” he cried as the agent wrenched him to his feet.  Wyatt pleaded with a glowering Agent Christopher through desperate tears, “I’m sorry, ma’am…I had to try.”

 

“I sympathize with you Master Sergeant Logan, I do, but stealing the time machine, kidnapping Mr. Carlin to go along with your crazy scheme?  I’m only glad Ms. Preston isn’t here to see this.  I want to interrogate both of them before they are transported to federal prison.” she barked out.

 

Rufus, looked back at Wyatt with an enormous amount of pity on his face as he was led into the conference room upstairs.  Wyatt, meanwhile, was roughly hauled into a small office he had never been in before. He didn’t put up much of a fight, there was no need to, he had failed.  He didn’t care what happened to him anymore…it didn’t matter, but Rufus?  Rufus was a different story altogether. He hung his head in shame when he thought of what this stunt had cost his friend…his job, his freedom...Rufus had tried to warn him, told him it wasn’t a sure thing, but Wyatt hadn’t listened.   

 

When Agent Christopher entered the room, he didn’t even lift his eyes from the floor, he just breathed out a shaky breath and pleaded.  “Ma’am, please Rufus had nothing to do with this it was all me.”

 

“Oh I have no doubt. I know she was your wife, Wyatt, but you have to accept that she’s gone.”

Wyatt face twisted in anguish as furious tears sprang to his eyes.  “Rest assured, I’ve just spoken with Connor, he’s not pressing charges – and since we have no other pilot, Rufus won’t suffer the consequences of your actions.  We need him. You, on the other hand, are under the restrictions from your command and as such you will be facing a court martial.”

 

Wyatt expected nothing less than a court martial…he would be demoted, dishonorably discharged from military service, and sent to Leavenworth or some black site somewhere to rot. Rufus, at least, still had his freedom and a job.  Being one of two fully trained time machine pilots certainly had its benefits…which made Wyatt furrow his brow in confusion, “I understand, ma’am…and thank you, for cutting Rufus a break…but…why do you need him?  The mission is done.” he asked.

 

Agent Christopher quirked her brow at him, “Done?  What do you mean done?  For you, maybe…but for us?  No.  As long as Garcia Flynn poses a threat, we are far from done.” She shook her head in frustration, “Thank goodness we have Dave Baumgardner on retainer, he will be taking your place in the missions from now on.”

 

Wyatt’s breath caught in his throat.  Flynn was alive…which meant that something had changed.  If Flynn wasn’t dead then Lucy… 

 

Hardly daring to hope, Wyatt lifted frantic eyes to meet hers, “Wait a minute…are you telling me that…” He leaned forward in his chair earnestly, “Ma’am, who was I trying to save?”

 

Agent Christopher sat back and gaped at him, “What kind of question is that?”

 

“Ma’am, please.” Wyatt pleaded, “Who?”

 

“Your wife, Wyatt. Jessica.” she answered in a voice full of annoyance. 

 

Wyatt’s mouth fell open in shock and relief, “And Lucy?  Is she alive?”

 

Agent Christopher balked at him, “Wyatt…what on Earth?”

 

“Please ma’am, tell me….is Lucy alive?  Is she okay?”

 

“Well, I don’t know if I’d say she was okay, she’s been sick with double pneumonia for the past two weeks.”

 

“Oh thank God.” Wyatt breathed out shakily as Agent Christopher narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?”

 

“Ma’am, I don’t know what the hell happened in this timeline, but for the past three weeks, Rufus and I have been in a different one.”

 

Agent Christopher scoffed, “Do you really expect me to believe that, Wyatt?”

 

“I know it sounds crazy, but you know how this works…and I’m telling you Rufus and I…our reality…is not this.  We took the time machine to save Lucy…not Jessica.”  He choked back his tears as he continued, “She was killed on a mission…but I found a way to save her…if you’re telling me that she is alive, then it worked. We brought her back.”

 

“That’s ridiculous,” Agent Christopher spat out. “Lucy hasn’t been on any missions…she’s was in the hospital until yesterday evening.”

 

“She had the flu when we left,” Wyatt nodded in agreement, “but when we came back from that jump to Vegas 1963 everything was different.” 

 

“Different, how?” she asked, unconvinced.

 

“Lucy and I were married.” Agent Christopher scoffed, “I swear.  Look, in my wallet he nodded at his jacket, there are two pictures that will prove it…and in my right jacket pocket, I have her wedding rings.”

 

Begrudgingly Agent Christopher tugged Wyatt’s wallet out of his coat pocket and flipped open. Inside, she found the folded wedding photo and the ultrasound.  “Look at the date.”  Wyatt nudged with his chin.  “How could I have an ultrasound with Lucy’s name on it from last week if she’s been out sick with pneumonia?”

 

“Married and a baby on the way?” Agent Christopher asked with raised eyebrows as she studied the photos. “It says here she was 10 weeks pregnant, how is that possible when you claim to have only been gone for three?”

 

“Ma’am, I wish I knew…all I know is that I came back from Vegas and went to my apartment and Lucy was there…as my wife.  We had been married for six months…engaged for even longer than that.”  Wyatt shook his head as tears filled his eyes, ‘I had just found out about the baby right before she was killed.”

 

Agent Christopher’s face softened as she silently watched Wyatt’s tears fall from his face, “I thought I lost everything…and then I found a way that we could save her…and ma’am, there was no way I could live with myself if I didn’t try.  Lucy never asked to be part of these missions, she’s the only one who remembers her sister…we owed it to her to save her life.” 

 

Agent Christopher surveyed Wyatt with a quirked brow.  He wondered if Agent Christopher would allow him to see Lucy before he was sent away to God knows where.  Going to prison wasn’t ideal, but if he could see her again, hold her again…it would all be worth it.  She pursed her lips together and furrowed her brow, before standing up and exiting the room. Wyatt had no idea how long she was gone, hadn’t even begun to process what was happening before she re-entered the room, followed by Rufus, who was looking a bit shaken, but overall relieved. 

 

“Mr. Carlin, would you say that Master Sergeant Logan acted in the best interest of his team when he kidnapped you and took the LifeBoat out for a joy ride?”

 

“Um…” Rufus muttered as he shot a wary glance between Agent Christopher and Wyatt.

 

“Let me rephrase the question,” Agent Christopher murmured with a half-smile on her face, “Would you say that Master Sergeant Logan made the correct call when he opted to form a rescue mission to save a member of your team?”

 

Rufus straightened up importantly, “Yes, ma’am.  Absolutely.”

 

“Very well” Agent Christopher nodded, “And I’m sure you two went through the proper channels to have this mission authorized, am I correct?

 

Wyatt didn’t want Rufus to lie to Agent Christopher, but he didn’t exactly want him to tell the truth either.  No matter his motivations and intentions, he had stolen the time machine and he knew that there would be consequences and those consequences could involve never seeing Lucy again. Wyatt gave Rufus what he hoped was a reassuring nod. 

 

Taking the hint, Rufus bowed his head slightly as he looked earnestly at Agent Christopher, “What do _you_ think, ma’am? Would _you_ have authorized a trip like this?”

 

She smirked at him knowingly, “A rescue mission?  Absolutely.”

 

Agent Christopher stood up from her chair with a sigh, “So what we have here, seems to be one big misunderstanding.”  She walked over to Wyatt and unlocked his restraints, "Congratulations, gentleman, you are free to go.” 

 

“Are you serious?” Wyatt sat up in surprise. “I can go?”

 

“Yes, Master Sergeant,” “you are free to leave.”  Wyatt sprang up from the chair and made a rush to the door, before she called him back handing him the photos with his wallet, “Oh and Wyatt, Ms. Preston is at an event at Stanford this evening honoring her mother…just in case you were wondering.”

 

He smiled at her as he made his way towards the door, “Thank you, ma’am”

 

“Oh and Wyatt?” she called him back, “What did you mean when you said the mission was done?”

 

Wyatt exchanged a nervous glance with Rufus, before chuckling lightly, “Did I say done?  I just meant…that without Lucy we were…sort of done…with the missions.”

 

“Yeah,” agreed Rufus nervously, “I mean, without our historian…we were pretty much toast.”

 

She pursed her lips in what appeared to be an attempt to hide a smile.  Whether she believed them or not, Wyatt had no idea, but she waved them out of the office just the same.  Without wasting another second, Wyatt bolted out of the small office and headed for the exit with Rufus bounding after him, “Wyatt, what the hell? Aren’t you going to change?”

 

“I have to see her, Rufus. I really don’t give a damn.” he muttered as he burst out into the parking lot.  “Shit, my keys.” Wyatt gasped out as he felt his pockets.

 

“Hold up, Romeo,” Rufus answered as he held up his hand to him, “I’ll take you.  Probably shouldn’t drive in your love-sick condition anyway.”

 

They were 27 miles from Stanford University and it may as well have been the other side of the damn planet.  Rufus cranked up the stereo so that he wouldn’t have to listen to Wyatt’s groaning every five miles that they weren’t there yet.  Thankfully, traffic was light, given that it was well past rush hour and so the drive itself, though it felt insufferably long to Wyatt…and Rufus (albeit for very different reasons) was actually only about a half an hour. Frantically searching Rufus’ phone for where the Lucy might be, Wyatt directed Rufus to the Conference Center where they were faced with the even greater obstacle of finding a damn parking spot.  When Rufus was about to circle the block a third time, Wyatt huffed out a “Screw it.” before finally leaping out of the car.

 

“I’ll just wait here then!” Rufus cried out as Wyatt raced up the stone steps to the front doors of the large building looming before him.

 

Wrenching open the doors, he darted inside, and found himself in an ornate lobby of sorts…and woefully out of place.  Everywhere he looked were ladies in evening gowns, men in dinner jackets –he had thought, given what Lucy had told him in the other timeline that this was going to be a symposium…and he thought symposiums were a just a bunch of academics sitting around listening to other academics give speeches…but this?  This looked like a party…and he was pretty sure he wasn’t invited…especially not dressed, as he was, in a suit from the 1960s. Shaking off his insecurities and throwing his shoulders back, he made to walk up the small set of stairs to what looked like a large reception room before he was intercepted by a formidable looking woman with a clipboard, “Name, please?”

 

“Um…I’m not on any list…but I’m a …friend of Lucy Preston’s, I’m here to see her.”  Wyatt explained as he strained to look past the sea of people beyond the doorway for a glimpse of Lucy. 

 

“Oh I’m sorry, this event is for faculty members and donors only.” The woman said in a voice full of mock pity.  One look at her and Wyatt knew that she was most definitely not sorry that he wasn’t on her list.  She looked like she wanted nothing more than for him to be a thousand miles away.  Not that he blamed her.  He looked an absolute mess; he was in a suit from the wrong decade, his face still bore the marks from his fight with Garcia Flynn, and the scruff on his chin was definitely past 5’o clock shadow standards. He didn’t belong here and he knew it…she didn’t need to rub it in by looking at him like that. 

 

“Look, I just need to see Lucy…I have to talk to her.” Wyatt spat out in a huff, realizing too late that he was causing a bit of a scene. 

 

“Perhaps you can give me your message and we can see that she gets it?”

 

Wyatt shook his head in frustration.  He had half a mind to dart out of the front doors and find some damn vent he could sneak through, before a familiar voice rang through the crowd. 

 

“Hey!  Walter, right?”

 

Wyatt grimaced when he glanced up to see the smarmy jackass he hated in every damn timeline making his way towards the table with a charming grin plastered on his face. 

 

“It’s Wyatt…actually.” he muttered rolling his eyes in annoyance.

 

“Oh, right…right,” Noah chuckled half-heartedly as he gave a self-important nod at the woman with the clipboard, letting her know apparently, that Wyatt was not a danger to her or anybody else in the room.  He led Wyatt up the stairs by the shoulder, “What are you doing here?  I thought Lucy had the rest of the week off?”

 

“This isn’t about work.” Wyatt huffed, “Look, I just…I just have to see her, okay?”

 

“Is there something you need?” he asked as he eyed Wyatt warily taking in his shabby suit and his bruised face, “like cab fare or something?”

 

God, how he hated this guy.

 

“No, nothing like that…I just…” Wyatt huffed out defeated sigh, “you know what?” Just forget it, I’ll talk to her later, okay?”

 

He turned on his heel and was about to make his way back down the stairs, before Noah grabbed his arm, “No, it’s no trouble, let me go see if I can go find her in there.”  He gave him another good-natured smile and a wink, “Stay right here, Walter.”

 

“Wyatt.” He muttered angrily under his breath. 

 

He watched with bated breath as Noah made his way through the room, noticed when he stopped abruptly and made a beeline towards a woman who Wyatt suddenly realized with a gasp, was Lucy.  He had never seen her looking so beautiful.  She was turned slightly away from him, but he’d know her profile anywhere. Her hair was down in graceful curls and the gown she wore was an off-the shoulder floor length number in a deep blue.  He watched with more than a tinge of jealousy as Noah approached her, his hand going to the small of her back and his lips gracing her cheek.  Lucy didn’t flinch or shy away from him and Wyatt remembered with a pang that _he_ was her fiancé…this Lucy was not his…and then with a jolt of panic he considered that she might not feel anything for him except friendship.  A wave of anxiety washed over him as he realized he had no idea what to say to her.  How could he tell her how he felt about her with her fiancé standing right there? What would he lead in with?  _Hey Lucy, you and I were married, you don’t remember that because it was in a different timeline where you died and I had to save you. Wanna catch a movie sometime?_

 

Shit.  This was a bad idea. 

 

Wyatt turned quickly and raced down the small staircase.  He would talk to Lucy tomorrow…maybe he could call her and they could meet for lunch or something…yeah, that would be better. 

 

He was just about to step outside when Lucy’s voice…the most beautiful sound Wyatt had ever heard…called after him in what he recognized as marked concern.  “Wyatt?  What’s going on?  What’s wrong?”

 

His heart nearly beat out of his chest as he saw her standing at the top of the stairs looking like something out of a dream.  He wanted to go to her, but found that he couldn’t move…so he just stood there, staring stupidly at her as she raced down the steps towards him.  Whether it was just a protective impulse or whether he finally came to his senses, Wyatt rushed forward when he realized that this was Lucy racing down the stairs – in heels, no less – and that was not exactly something she was known for doing well.   Hoping to catch her if she fell, he reached the bottom of the stairs just as she did and suddenly he wished that he had stayed right where he was.  She was beautiful and breathless…and he wasn’t sure how he was going to keep himself from touching her now that she was right before him. He was gawking at her, he knew…but if Lucy noticed, she didn’t let it show – her one and only concern seemed to be for him. 

 

“Wyatt…oh my God…” she exclaimed as she took in his battered face, “you look like you’ve been through Hell.”

 

“I have.” Wyatt acknowledged in a quavering voice as he gazed at her with tears now filling his eyes.

 

Her look of concern turned to a look pity, “Did it not work?  Is she still…gone?  Wyatt, what happened?”

 

It took a moment for Wyatt to realize that she was talking about Jessica…he had apparently let her in on his plan to save her.  Words, however, failed him…and if the quaking in his knees meant anything, it was that his legs were just about to. 

 

She was there.  She was actually there.  Standing before him.  Alive. Breathing.  Wyatt let out a small gasp as he tentatively reached out a hand to touch her face.   “You’re okay.”

 

Lucy gave him a small smile in return, “Yes, _I’m_ okay, but what happened to you?” Her eyes scanned the bruises all over his face again, “Wyatt, what on Earth –“

 

But before she could finish, Wyatt wrapped her up in his arms in a bone crushing hug, his face buried in her hair, breathing her in.  “I can’t believe you’re here” he muttered through tears, “you’re real.”

 

Lucy wrapped her arms around him in bewilderment, “Wyatt, it’s okay…I’m okay.  She pulled away from him with a chuckle as his hands went once more to her face his thumbs caressing her cheek, “Double pneumonia is no joke, though, I was…Wyatt?”

 

Lucy startled slightly as Wyatt leaned his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, silently thanking God, the universe, fate…whatever, that she was here…with him. 

 

Except she wasn’t with _him_.

 

“Hey Lucy…” Noah let out a nervous chuckle, “ah…what’s going on here?”

 

She was with _him_. 

 

Dammit. 

 

Lucy pulled away from Wyatt, slightly, his hand resting on her arm and hers on his.  “Oh…”she gasped out in surprise, “I’m not sure…Wyatt?” she looked up at him expectantly but he turned his head away in frustration.    

 

Wyatt dropped his hand from her arm as Noah tugged her away from him, eyeing Wyatt with growing disdain, “C’mon Lucy, your mother is waiting for you inside.”

 

“Can you ask my mother to wait for just…five minutes?” Lucy pleaded as she turned once more to Wyatt. “Are you going to be okay?” she asked him.

 

But before he could respond, Noah tugged on her elbow once more, “Lucy, I’m sure he’ll be fine…he looks like he can take care of himself.” he noted with a scornful sneer, one that Wyatt returned full force, “C’mon it’s time for your speech.”

 

Lucy looked back helplessly at Wyatt as Noah nudged her up the staircase.  Noah plastered a fake grin on his face as he waved to Lucy making her way reluctantly up the stairs before leaning to Wyatt with his hand on his shoulder whispering, “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but touch my fiancé like that again, and…”

 

“And what?” challenged Wyatt as he swatted Noah’s hand roughly off of his shoulder. 

 

Noah bit his lip and shook his head as Lucy paused at the top of the stairs watching the two of them. He let out a small chuckle, “Look, I’m not going to waste my time worrying about some guy she only knows from work…just keep your hands to yourself from now on, okay?”

 

Noah turned to walk back up the stairs and join Lucy when Wyatt called out, “She knows me a hell of a lot more than she knows you, pal.” 

 

Noah stood frozen in the middle of the staircase, looking furious, “What the hell is he talking about, Lucy?”

 

Lucy gaped at Wyatt before she marched down the stairs and grabbed Noah by the arm, shooting Wyatt a menacing glare as she tried to tug Noah away, “ _Nothing_ , let’s just go.” She glared at Wyatt once more, “I’ll talk to _you_ later.”

 

“The hell you will!” exclaimed Noah, wrenching his arm out of her grasp.  He leaned forward and whispered harshly, “Is there something going on between you two?  Is this why you moved out?  Because of that guy?  Walter?”

 

“Wyatt” he corrected him once more, offering Lucy a small shrug for the eye roll she was now throwing his way. 

 

“Noah, this really isn’t the pl-“

 

He gasped out in indignation, “Are you serious right now?  This guy?” 

 

Lucy shook her head vehemently, “No, this is not what you think it is, Noah….this…this”

 

“Then what the hell is going on Lucy?”

 

“Maybe if you’d give her a chance to talk.” Wyatt offered, not even trying to hide the contempt in his voice.    

 

Noah turned his attention from Lucy back to Wyatt, “I think you need to go.”

 

Wyatt crossed his arms over his chest defiantly, “Why don’t you make me…doc?”

 

The invitation thus offered, Noah made his way back down the steps ignoring Lucy’s protests. He gripped Wyatt’s arm and began to lead him to the door, when Wyatt shoved him roughly, “Get your damn hands off me.”

 

That was all it took for the situation to escalate wildly out of control.  Noah made a swing, which Wyatt dodged and then countered with a swing of his own.  Landing a blow firmly to Noah’s jaw, Wyatt felt a deep sense of satisfaction when the jackass fell into the table displaying several of Carol Preston’s books. Noah immediately righted himself and rammed Wyatt in the side, sending him careening into another table that housed programs and lists of all the honorees attending that night’s party.  Lucy was standing helplessly by, yelling at both of them to “STOP” but at this point, neither one was willing nor able to do so without risking the loss of a certain amount of manly pride.  A crowd began to assemble, Wyatt could hear their murmurs and in a moment of clarity he realized that he was acting like a complete and total jackass.  That moment of clarity was short-lived however, because Noah landed a blow to the side of his head that had him seeing stars. 

 

Sprawled on the floor, Wyatt felt himself being lifted up under the arms and heard Rufus’ voice urging him to “chill the hell out.”  When Wyatt shrugged himself out of his friend’s grip, Rufus slapped him on the back with a meaningful glance at a distraught Lucy and muttered, “How about we live to fight another day, Romeo?” 

 

Wyatt stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth staring daggers at Noah who was doing the same thing.  As he turned to follow Rufus, he caught sight of Lucy looking absolutely mortified. The pained expression in her eyes, the flush on her face, the way she brought her hands to her forehead as she looked at the devastation the two of them had left in their wake made Wyatt feel nothing but shame.  He wanted to go to her…to apologize, to do anything but leave her with the memory of him brawling with her fiancé in front of all of her Stanford colleagues and their donors. 

 

What the hell had he just done?

 

Rufus clapped Wyatt on the back once more, “C’mon man, I’ll buy you a Snickers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOAH. 
> 
> Sorry for the length of this one. I was thinking about cutting it but I didn't want to make you all wait for their happyish reunion any longer...you've been so patient...and a few of you told me you hate me...so I decided I didn't want to add to that number. : ) 
> 
> We're back to Wyatt's timeline and yes, he's going to have to figure out how the Lucy feels about him...even more so now that he and Noah made complete asses of themselves. If you were expecting a dramatic run into their arms, kissing reunion...I'm sorry. You have to remember that this Lucy has no idea how Wyatt feels...and she's still engaged. 
> 
> More fun is ahead....and yes, we're nearing the end...but we're not there YET. This Wyatt and Lucy need to have a chat or two or three first. 
> 
> Thanks for reading...I'm trying not to make these chapters so long, but again...I kept this one long so that you would get a tiny bit of resolution. 
> 
> Reviews are always welcome!


	28. Chapter 28

 

Wyatt cursed himself for what was probably the millionth time in the two hours since leaving Stanford for allowing that smarmy jackass to get under his skin.  If he were hoping to convince Lucy to choose him over Noah, he had just given her plenty of reason not to.  Why the hell hadn’t he just walked away and let that asshole have his small victory?

 

How the hell was he going to ever be able to face Lucy again?  He knew he would have to, eventually.  He knew he would have to find some way to explain to her what had happened, but how in the hell was he going to do that?  What would he say?  How the hell could he tell Lucy that they were married and expecting a baby when she’s engaged to somebody else?  How horrified would she be to learn that she had died?  Should he even tell her that?  Should he tell her any of it?  How would she believe that he loved her when, according to her timeline, he had just stolen the LifeBoat to save Jessica?

 

All of these questions and more, he lobbed at an increasingly annoyed Rufus who, after making good on his promise to buy him a Snickers, drove them back to Mason so Wyatt could pick up his phone and keys, change his clothes, get a shower, and figure out what the hell he was going to do with his life because as Rufus firmly declared, “I am not your damn therapist!” Wyatt rolled his eyes at his friend, but Rufus countered him with a harsh truth, “Look man, I know seeing Lucy with her fake fiancé must be hard…especially considering how you two were…but that’s no reason to act like a jackass.  After everything you just went through to get her back?  You damn well better tell her how you feel and soon before she ends up married to Dr. Whatshisface.”

 

Wyatt nodded tersely as he pushed himself into the locker room.  He knew Rufus was right, but it didn’t make his task any easier.  _Other_ him had not had to go through all of this. He had come back from Vegas to find that Lucy was his fiancé and Noah…well, while not quite out of the picture, he had at least gotten the hint that Lucy was not quite as into him as he was into her.  How _this_ Lucy felt about Noah?  It was really anyone’s guess.  Wyatt had asked her once if she was in love with the guy and she had said, “no,” but yet, she was still engaged to him.  Not only that, he knew for a fact that she was going on dates with the jackass…tonight was proof of that extremely problematic circumstance.  He groaned as he remembered how Lucy didn’t even shy away as Noah’s lips grazed her cheek.    

 

Maybe her feelings towards him had changed?  He had just nursed her through her illness, after all.  Wasn’t there some kind of thing…Florence Nightingale effect or something that made patients fall in love with their caretakers?  Or was that the other way around?  The caretakers fall in love with their patients?  Oh hell, he didn’t know…what he _did_ know was that Lucy was still essentially off-limits because of that damn ring on her finger and what kind of asshole would she consider him if he made a pass at her when she’s in a committed relationship with another man?  Another man she clearly didn’t mind being kissed by.       

 

And then there was the added issue of how she felt about him.  He didn’t care so much how she felt about Noah, as much as he wondered where they stood in terms of _their_ relationship.  He thought back on their time together…how comfortable she was around him, how she knew him so well, how seamlessly they worked together.  He thought back to Chicago when she had saved him from that cellar…she had run straight into his arms…relieved to find him alive.  But then again, thought Wyatt with a huff, she had hugged Rufus too.  He thought back to the Alamo when she had grabbed his face and told him that she needed him, he thought back to Bonnie and Clyde and remembered the look in her eyes when he pulled away from that kiss.  There was definitely _something_ there…or maybe there wasn’t…maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part…but she _had_ looked at him and she _had_ talked about being open to possibilities…

 

But…she had also played off the kiss just as he had…but for him, it _had_ meant something no matter how much he tried to deny it.  What if it meant something to her too?  If it did, Wyatt thought glumly, it really didn’t change the way she acted around him.  She was still Lucy, there was never any awkwardness between them…well, there was awkwardness, but it had all come from him…with that damn “baby doll” line he threw her way to throw her off the scent.  She might have been initially surprised by the kiss, but the unaffected manner in which she accepted his apology and the silly way she threw back that “schweetheart”? Wyatt rubbed his face with his hand as he leaned against the lockers.  The Lucy and Wyatt of the other timeline had been living together, playing an engaged couple, and were essentially free to explore the possibilities that came with that kiss.  This timeline was different.   _He_ had denied feeling anything at all…and Lucy?  Why would _she_ feel anything?  She was engaged…and Wyatt had just laid out every reason in the world why she shouldn’t give him a second thought.   _Jessica was his one and only_ , he had said.  _His lightning bolt_ , he explained.   _We were just playing a role_ , he assured.  His stomach dropped as he thought of what his damn guilt had cost him.  If by some miracle, Lucy had had any burgeoning feelings towards him, he had essentially snuffed them out by telling her, in no uncertain terms, that he wasn’t interested.  Throw in the attempt to save Jessica by stealing the LifeBoat and the fist fight with her fiancé and he was essentially screwed.  Why the hell would Lucy see him as anything but the reckless, hotheaded, off-limits widower he had proven himself to be?

   

His shower should have been refreshing considering the walk through the Nevada desert, the time spent in a smoke-filled casino…and of course, the fist fight…but it wasn’t. Instead of washing away the dirt and grime that seemed to penetrate his skin all the way down to his bones, the reviving spray seemed to heighten his awareness that he was the biggest jackass on the planet.  Every atom, every molecule in his body seemed to scream with the pain of regret as he thought about all of the wasted time, all of the stupid noble remarks he had made about “one and only’s” and “lightning bolts”.  He had lied to himself and he had lied to Lucy.  He had fallen for her a long time ago, but never allowed himself that chance to believe that he could be happy again.  Now that he knew he could, he was faced with the cold hard fact that in this timeline, he was probably too damn late.

 

He was just tying his shoes when Rufus came flying through the locker room, the distant sound of an alarm echoing in the hall.  “Wyatt? Are you still in here?” he called urgently. 

 

Wyatt groaned, “Do not tell me that is Flynn.” as Rufus rounded the row of lockers to find Wyatt sitting with his head in his hands. 

 

“Okay…” said Rufus uncertainly, “what do you want me to tell you?”  Wyatt peered up at him through his hands, “I mean, I’d like to tell you it’s not Flynn, but that would be a damn lie.”

 

Wyatt grimaced, “We just got back…you’d think he’d take a night off, I mean, the man was just dead not 24 hours ago.”

 

“Yeah…different timeline, I don’t think that counts.”  Rufus sighed. 

 

“When is it?” Wyatt muttered.

 

“I didn’t get a great look at the screen, it’s 17 something…back to the 18thcentury…yay!” Rufus exclaimed in mock excitement.  “Maybe this time I won’t leave with a souvenir.”    

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes and opened his locker, his gaze landing on the wedding rings he had placed carefully on the top shelf.  Lucy. Noah had said she had the rest of the week off, which meant she wouldn’t be going on this mission.  Sure, it was a hopeless case, he had lost his shot - but the idea that he could come back from this jump only to find that she was gone again filled him with absolute dread. “I can’t do this jump.” He breathed out.

 

“What?  Why not?”

 

“Lucy’s got the rest of the week off.  There is no way in hell I’m doing this without her…to risk losing her again?” Wyatt shook his head resolutely, “No way in hell.”

 

Rufus gaped at him, “Do you mean to tell me you’re gonna send me back to the 18thcentury with Bam Bam?  Do you remember what happened to me the last time I went to the 18thcentury with Bam Bam?”

 

Wyatt gave him a withering stare, “Look, I’ll talk to Bam Bam, alright?  Right after I talk to Agent Christopher…just give me a minute, okay?”

 

“Yeah, well good luck getting Agent Christopher to take your side.  What are you going to do when she tells you you’ve got to go anyway?”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “I’ll tell her I have the flu.”

 

Throwing his shoes back on, he emerged from the locker room minutes later, determined to follow through with the promise he had made the other Lucy before that last fateful mission, that no matter what, they would travel together or not at all.  He just had to find Agent Christopher... 

 

Wandering the halls of Mason Industries, searching the conference rooms, proved to be in vain. Obviously, she hadn’t arrived yet. While he didn’t find Agent Christopher, he did find Bam Bam.   As Wyatt approached the launch bay, he could see him standing with his back towards him in obvious conversation with someone.  Wyatt shook his head and smirked to himself as he got nearer, hearing Bam Bam repeat the same old pickup lines he had used countless times before during their time together in Delta Force.  As he approached, he slapped Bam Bam on the back with a chuckle and exclaimed loudly, “Don’t let his lousy pickup lines fool you, this guy knows how to treat a lady.”  He stopped dead in his tracks, however, when he saw the lady Bam Bam was talking to. 

 

Lucy.

 

Wyatt stood there gaping at the two of them, before he swallowed hard in an attempt to keep himself from revisiting the Snickers bar from earlier as Bam Bam greeted him, “Wyatt…ooo what happened to _you_?  You must have had a rough night like Lucy, here.”  Wyatt cast his eyes downward as he felt the heat of shame spread up his neck and into his face.  He sensed rather than saw Lucy fidgeting nervously next to Bam Bam who, in typical fashion, remained completely oblivious to the sudden increase in tension around him. He slapped Wyatt on the back and plowed on, “Looks like you could use a drink too…I was just asking Lucy if she might like to join me for one.”

 

In the past three weeks, Wyatt had wanted to kick Bam Bam’s ass more times than he could count…but tonight, he was really regretting that he hadn’t taken the opportunity.  No way, after what had just happened with Noah, could Wyatt even give the appearance of jealousy and anger.  Lucy already thought he was a reckless hothead and his little outburst at Stanford had only given credence to that assumption.  Instead, he looked at Lucy with a kind of earnest desperation as he began stuttering nervously in a voice that sounded too high to be his own, “What…what are you doing here?  I thought you were off for the rest of the week?”   

 

Lucy was blushing furiously, but met Wyatt’s gaze with a fierce determination, “I decided that after tonight I needed to blow off a little steam.  Besides,” she argued as she pointed to his face, “you clearly aren’t doing so hot on these missions without me.”

 

Bam Bam chuckled lightly at her joke, which annoyed the hell out of Wyatt, but he merely lifted his mouth in a soft smile and muttered, “Nothing is the same without you, Lucy.”

 

Clearly affected by that statement, Lucy’s mouth dropped open slightly in stunned surprise, her eyes meeting Wyatt’s for just a moment before Bam Bam broke the tension with a punch to Wyatt’s arm, “She’s got a point, man.  You look like absolute hell.  What happened?” 

 

Wyatt shifted uncomfortably as he shot a very pained and awkward glance towards Lucy who was now mindlessly flipping through a stack of empty manila folders.  He sighed heavily, “You know me…I was just being a complete and total jackass.”

 

Lucy cast a quick sideways glance at Wyatt to find that he was directing that statement to her rather than to Bam Bam.  The hint of a smile graced her lips, as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Wyatt took a step towards her and was just about to address her before Bam Bam interjected, “Well, I don’t know if you can take the word of a jack ass, Lucy…but Wyatt’s right…I do know how to treat a lady.  My offer still stands.  Drinks…when you get back?”      

 

Wyatt stood there helplessly as Lucy pursed her lips together, not daring to look at either of them. She managed a quick glace up at Bam Bam before nodding her head and answering in a quavering voice, “Sure…okay. That sounds great.”

 

Those words rang out like a death sentence for Wyatt.  He stood there staring at Lucy in a state of utter devastation as she and Bam Bam exchanged numbers and discussed an appropriate venue for their…*gulp* date.   

 

Grinning broadly, Bam Bam tucked his phone back into his pocket and announced, “Well, since you all won’t be needing me around here, I’m going to head out.” he clapped Wyatt on the shoulder, “Thanks for the endorsement, man…I owe you one!”  He winked at Lucy, “Always a pleasure.  Just text me when you get back, okay?.”  She nodded with a strained smile on her face, as Bam Bam turned to head out towards the exit, shouting out a greeting as he did so, “Hey Rufus, looking good, buddy!”  The pilot, already dressed in 18thcentury clothes stood rooted to the spot, staring at Wyatt and Lucy with his mouth hanging open. 

 

Unable to stand the heat of Wyatt’s gaze, Lucy shot him another awkward glance, mumbled some excuse and headed off to the next workstation where she immediately began checking online resources for historical data about the jump. 

 

“What the hell just happened?” Rufus gasped at Wyatt.  “Please tell me you did not just set Lucy and Bam Bam up on a date.”

 

Wyatt threw his head back in frustration, “Rufus…”

 

The pilot shook his head slowly in disbelief, “You know, I know I told you I wasn’t your therapist…but damn, man...what the hell were you thinking?”

 

“I didn’t mean to set him up with Lucy,” Wyatt hissed as he gestured wildly at Rufus, “how the hell was I to know he was talking to her?  She wasn’t even supposed to be here.  Hell, she’s supposed to be engaged...not going on dates.”

 

“Well, I hate to break it to ya, but it doesn’t look like that’s stopping her.”  Wyatt rolled his eyes as Rufus gasped, “Oh my God….it’s like what he said….in that other timeline, that he and Lucy could..”

 

“Don’t you dare say it, Rufus.” Wyatt growled at him.  He shifted on his feet restlessly, staring at the back of Lucy’s neck with a quiet desperation.  How the hell did this happen?  “I gotta try to fix this.” Wyatt muttered as he made his way towards her. 

 

But that effort was put on hold when Agent Christopher marched into the room, barking out orders and demanding to know where Flynn had jumped this time.   Lucy flinched and immediately answered her query in a huffy voice, “June 9, 1772, Providence, Rhode Island.” Wyatt noticed that she shot an annoyed glance over at Mr. Chartris who had cleared his throat in an attempt to take over the briefing, but Lucy plowed on, “It’s the _Gaspee_ Affair.”

 

“Affair?” Rufus asked with raised eyebrows, “As in somebody is in love with somebody else even though technically they’re with another person…like that kind of affair?”    

 

Wyatt murmured something about Rufus’ complete lack of subtlety, but it was totally lost on Lucy who was shaking her head and correcting Rufus’ assumption, “No…I mean affair as in event. The _Gaspee_ Affair was a significant naval episode leading to the American Revolution. The _Gaspee_ and its commander Lt. Dudingston, were notorious for their harassment of colonial naval vessels...under the Townshend Acts of…”

 

“Actually, its more in line with the Declaratory Act of 1766.  Parliament stated that they held sovereignty over the colonies and were therefore had the right to collect taxes and seize goods as they saw fit.”  Mr. Chartris interrupted haughtily, obviously put out that Lucy had beat him to the punch.  “So, yes, on June 9, 1772, Captain Lindsay of the packet ship _Hannah_ , purposely led the British customs ship HMS _Gaspee_ into shallow waters where it ran aground.  Captain Lindsay then arrived in Providence and informed John Brown of the circumstances and he and Abraham Whipple organized a raiding party…meeting at Sabin’s Tavern, I believe.”

 

“Yes.” Lucy cut in curtly, “I was just getting to that.”  Wyatt did his best to hide his smirk, though seeing Lucy back in action and visibly affronted by the man that Agent Christopher had chosen to replace her in both timelines was pretty damn entertaining.  Wyatt had already considered Chartris to be the anti-Lucy in every sense of the word, and it appeared Lucy felt the same way.  She tossed her hair back with a huff and continued while casting a reproving glare at Mr. Chartris as if daring him to interrupt her again. “the men, basically all members of the Sons of Liberty, went out on long boats in the middle of the night, captured Lt. Dudingston and then burned the _Gaspee_ to the waterline.  It’s considered one of the main events leading to the American Revolution, right up there along with the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre.”

 

At the mention of that particular historical event, Rufus grimaced slightly and instinctively put his hand on his once injured leg as he asked, “So, what’s Flynn’s deal here? Save the ship?  Kill the raiders? Bottom line, should I be worried about getting shot?”

 

Lucy frowned, “I don’t think so…not any more than any of our other missions anyway.  The _Gaspee_ was taken by surprise.  Lt. Dudingston was shot but that was more to get him to order the surrender before there was any more bloodshed than to actually kill him.” Lucy quirked her eyebrow at Rufus as he blew out a shaky exhale of relief. “Why are you so jumpy all of a sudden?”

 

“Oh nothing,” Rufus said as he waved his hand absently mindedly at her, “I just…um…heard musket balls are a bitch.” he shot Wyatt a meaningful glance as he sat down in a chair still gripping his leg. 

 

Slightly confused, Lucy shrugged and continued, “As for Flynn, the whole aftermath of the burning of the _Gaspee_ is basically a lead-in for the Declaration of Independence _._   The British were furious that one of their customs ships had been burned…a ship that technically was operating within the bounds of the law.  So, the British set up a kangaroo court, demanded that those involved be sent and tried in England…and it angered a lot of the colonists who, by this time, had exercised a great deal of autonomy from England.

 

“So, without this, there’s no Declaration of Independence?” asked Agent Christopher

 

Lucy frowned, “Who’s to say? This certainly emboldened the colonists to take action against what they believed was an injustice.  The Sons of Liberty were at war long before the first shot was fired at Lexington, so this…this was like a major victory pre-war for them.”

 

“Yeah, not like the Boston Massacre where Captain Preston got off on self-defense, right?” Rufus chuckled.   

 

Lucy looked over at Rufus in surprise, “Actually, yeah…how did you know that?”

 

Wyatt shot a “what the hell” look at Rufus whose mouth fell open in dismay when he realized that _this_ Lucy was not the same Lucy.  “Oh…um…I just….ya know…I heard things…when I was at MIT…because ya know…it’s near Boston.”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes and shook his head at Rufus who was by far the worst liar he had ever met.  Lucy, however, didn’t seem to think anything was strange about Rufus’ answer and nodded her head, “You know the Boston Massacre wasn’t even really a massacre...”

 

“That is entirely a matter of perspective,” Rufus muttered, “for some people it was.”

 

Agent Christopher nodded her head and clapped her hands together, “Alright, well this sounds like something we don’t want Flynn to change, so let’s make sure that he doesn’t. She surveyed the team, “Lucy, I thought you had the rest of the week off?”

 

“I did.” She threw her head back defiantly, “but I’m fine.  I would much rather do this mission then stay behind again.  I really would prefer to go if that’s alright with you.”

 

Agent Christopher shrugged, “I have no argument against it.” She made a chance glance at Wyatt and said with a voice laden with meaning, “Just make sure you take care of yourself out there.”

 

Wyatt followed Lucy towards the locker rooms with a desperate hope at an attempt to steal a  small moment before they launched to apologize for earlier that evening, but once again, he underestimated Lucy’s swiftness. Before he could catch up with her down the hall, she bolted into the locker room; as Wyatt could not remember a time when she seemed to be in that big of a hurry to change into a corset, he could only imagine she was purposefully trying to avoid him.

 

 She had been back in his life for only a few short hours and in that time, he had somehow managed royally screw up his second chance with her. It was bad enough that he had humiliated her in front of her mother and colleagues, but the fact that he had inadvertently pushed her towards Bam Bam?  Bam Bam?!  Why couldn’t he have just kept his damn mouth shut?

 

Now that she seemed to be honing up on her evasion skills, he had no idea when he would get the chance to explain.  Explain what…he still didn’t know.  The more he began to think about telling Lucy that in another timeline they were husband and wife, the more he began to feel sick with dread at the thought of her reaction to that news.  Add in a baby and the fact that she had died and Wyatt was feeling more convinced than ever that she would run away from him in terror.  If he thought she was ducking away from him now, she would probably go completely MIA at those revelations.  Wyatt sighed as he tugged on his coat, grateful that for the next few hours, at least, they would be forced to be together. 

 

When Wyatt clambered into the LifeBoat, Rufus was already seated in the Pilot’s chair.  “Hey man, did you talk to Lucy yet?”

 

Wyatt huffed as he sat down, “No.  I think she’s avoiding me.”

 

“Well, can’t say that I blame her.” Rufus shrugged.  “I mean, you show up unannounced to her mother’s party looking like some crazed lunatic, then you beat the shit out of her fiancé, and then you set her up on a date with Bam Bam…if you were trying to let her know how you feel about her, you’re doing a bang-up job so far.” 

 

Wyatt laid his head back on his chair and clenched his eyes shut.  Yup. He had screwed up…royally…and that wasn’t even counting the fact that Lucy thought Wyatt was fresh off an illegal trip to save his dead wife.  Well, technically he was…and he _had_ saved her…but he couldn’t tell _her_ that. 

 

An "oomph" and a whoosh of fabric announced the arrival of Lucy.  Wyatt darted up in his chair ready to assist her into the LifeBoat but she had already managed to finagle herself, layers and all, through the open hatch. She was just straightening up her dress preparing to sit, when Wyatt stuttered out, “You…you look pretty…uh…the dress, I mean, it’s nice.” He inwardly rolled his eyes at himself for such an inane comment and shot Rufus a glare at the thumbs up he mockingly sent his direction. 

 

“Oh…um…thanks.” Lucy said shortly as she looked at Wyatt in marked confusion.  She sat down and began adjusting her harness, stealing wary glances at him, which Wyatt supposed she was doing because he was sitting as if poised to help her, but couldn’t decide whether helping her would be welcome or not. He finally determined that instead of physically helping her with her seatbelt, he would coach her…and again, he wanted to kick his own ass for being so ridiculous….and yet, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from going, “Yup…that one goes with that one…and that one goes there.”

 

“Thank you, Wyatt.” Lucy finally responded with a curt nod.  “I think I figured out.”  Once again, Rufus shot a thumbs up towards Wyatt as he shook his head at him in frustration and disbelief.  Wyatt sat back with a slight groan feeling that this mission couldn’t get over soon enough…but then he remembered that Lucy would be going on a date with Bam Bam when they got back and decided that maybe staying in the 18th century for an unforeseeable amount of time wouldn’t be such a bad thing. 

 

They sat there in awkward silence while Rufus flipped switches and pressed buttons, each sound seeming to heighten the tension within the tiny compartment.  As Wyatt sat there looking at Lucy, his desperation got the best of him and before he could think better of it, he blurted out, “Are you really going on a date with Bam Bam?”

 

Rufus slowly turned his head to stare at Wyatt in stunned incredulity, as Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “It’s not a date…it’s just a drink, there’s a difference.” she said as she flushed slightly.

 

The fact that she referred to drinks with Bam Bam as “not a date” made the knot in Wyatt’s stomach loosen slightly but he was still not happy with the prospect of her having drinks with the same man who, in another timeline, had shamelessly thrown himself at her the last time they went out to a bar.  While that night ended much more favorably for Wyatt than it did for Dave Baumgardner, he somehow thought that this time would be different.  Bam Bam was charming, after all, add in a few French phrases, some alcohol, and a dimly lit corner booth and Wyatt lamented the possibilities that could come from such a setting. His displeasure must have shown on his face, because Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him and asked, “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t go out for a drink with Bam Bam?  Aren’t you two good friends?”  

 

Hell yes.  He could give her plenty of reasons for her not to go out for drinks with Bam Bam;   _I love you.  You were my wife.  You were supposed to be the mother of my child._ All of those statements, however, got lost somewhere in the confines of his throat as he sat there gaping at her.  Rufus raised his eyebrows at Wyatt who looked like a deer caught in headlines as he stammered out the next best excuse he could muster up in the whirlwind that was currently blowing through his brain, “Well…um…you’re engaged.”

 

Lucy flushed even more than she had earlier and absolutely refused to meet Wyatt’s eyes when she huffed out, “Not anymore.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Wyatt said automatically…though he wasn’t sorry at all.  Lucy’s eyes flashed to his as she gave him a reproving stare.  “Was it…was it because…of…ya know…because –“

 

“I really don’t want to talk about that right now, if it’s all the same to you.” Lucy said curtly.

 

“And I support you 100% in that decision, Lucy.” Rufus announced from his chair, while shooting Wyatt a warning glare.  “We are on a mission, after all…we’re not here to talk about engagements, dates…or affairs…except of course, the affair we’re headed to.”  He looked at Wyatt, “I’m talking about the boat…not anything else.”

 

Wyatt tilted his head towards Rufus with a rueful stare as the Lifeboat sprang to life and deposited them in 1772. 

 

Wyatt had entertained hopes that he would act the role of the gentleman and assist Lucy out of the time machine.  He was surprised and disappointed, however, when she quickly unharnessed herself and hopped out of the LifeBoat before he even had a chance to get his bearings.  Yup, she was definitely perfecting those evasive maneuvers.  He slid down to the ground beside her as she was straightening her skirts and taking in the scenery of the coastal colonial city. 

 

They stood in awkward silence, waiting for Rufus to join them.  Lucy was standing apart from him, far too interested in lacy edge of her sleeve to even acknowledge his presence in the near vicinity of her, leaving Wyatt convinced that she didn’t want to talk.  Wyatt’s mind, meanwhile, was abuzz with everything he wished he could say but couldn’t. Lucy was upset, he knew, and he had no idea how he could approach her about anything that had passed in the last few hours without upsetting her even more.  He had just managed to muster up the courage to ask her about her recent illness when Rufus sidled over to the two of them and rubbed his hands together, “Okay…now what?”

 

Lucy sighed, “Well, Captain Lindsay heads straight from the harbor to Sabin’s Tavern on Main Street. There he meets with some members of the Sons of Liberty…most notably Abraham Whipple and John Brown.  To keep everything shrouded in secrecy, they meet in a private room in the back…making plans, melting lead into bullets.” Lucy explained as they walked along, “then at 10PM about 64 men camouflage themselves and slip into long boats waiting for them across the street at Fenner’s wharf.”

 

Rufus looked out into the bay, “That’s a hell of a long way to row…how long does it take them?”

 

“Hours.” Lucy whispered as they entered the town, “the _Gaspee_ burns at 2 in the morning.”

 

Wyatt cleared his throat, “Do you think Flynn is going to be at that tavern?” he kept his eyes trained forward, looking for any sign of the man who had murdered Lucy once before…he would be damned if he was going to let that sonofabitch have a chance to do it again.

 

“It really just depends.” Lucy breathed out, “he could be at the tavern to start trouble before they even get out there…or he could bypass the tavern altogether and go straight to the _Gaspee_ to warn Dudingston…though, I’m not sure what kind of damage he could do that way.  There’s only 27 crew man on the _Gaspee_.

 

“Yeah…but if Flynn tells them they’re coming, he could blast them all to hell with the cannons before they even have a chance to get onboard.” Wyatt said tersely.  Lucy bit her lip as she paused in the street, her brow furrowed in thought, “It would be over before it even begins.”

 

“Well,” said Lucy as she looked at the tavern before them, “let’s go see what we can figure out in there…if Flynn doesn’t show up here, then we can…I don’t know, let them know they might be headed into a trap.” 

 

Wyatt nodded at her…marveling inwardly at how well they worked together.  She might very well hate the sight of him right now, but when it came to the team, the mission, she was as professional as ever.  Whatever was happening in their personal lives, Lucy seemed to effortlessly push it to the back burner and focus on the objective. She really was quite amazing.  Every mission he had gone on without her he had missed her knowledge and expertise; he felt like he was flying blind.  With her beside him, he could see the mission unfold, understand the objectives and zero in on Flynn’s angle in a way that…made him realize that how great a team they really were.  “We’ll get a room.” he offered, “since the wharf is right here, that gives us a good vantage point without exposing ourselves to Flynn…that is, if he’s hanging around here.”

 

It was late afternoon when they entered the tavern, just an hour or so before Captain Lindsay was due to arrive with news of the _Gaspee_ ’s vulnerable state.  Wyatt and Lucy were greeted by the innkeeper, James Sabin, himself while Rufus was shown to the servant quarters in the back.  He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “I hate this century” before he disappeared beyond a side door.

 

The prospect of “playing a role” which would allow him to get closer to Lucy…and be alone with Lucy was something of a happy bonus on this mission, particularly since what was waiting for them when they got back to the present was something so unpleasant…well, it was unpleasant for Wyatt, anyway.  He wasn’t sure how Lucy felt about her “non-date” with Bam Bam, but she had agreed to go and so that had to mean something.  Right?  

 

Wyatt greeted the Mr. Sabin with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Lucy’s waist and pulled her closer immediately delighting in the familiar feel of her against him. “Good afternoon, my wife and I are looking for accommodations for the night.”

 

He said it with an ease and casualness that absolutely took Lucy by surprise. True, they had posed as a couple on other missions…but usually that was because others had assumed they were together.  Never before had Wyatt openly referred to her as his wife, he merely went along with the assumption.  She understood why, of course.  Jessica was his lightning bolt, his one and only, so to even pretend that he was in a relationship with someone else, had to be painful.  Lucy remembered with a pang how terrible she felt that Wyatt had to relive the night he proposed to Jessica and pretend that had been with her. She had forgotten to take off her engagement ring and Bonnie and Clyde had assumed…too much…far too much.  She felt like such an intruder on one of the most special moments of their relationship and when he had kissed her, she felt…well, she felt guilty for feeling anything at all. After the mission, Wyatt made it clear that they were just playing a role.  He had only kissed her so that they could avoid certain death. There was nothing behind it.  No need to get all excited.  No use talking about possibilities.  They were just dodging a literal bullet.  What a blow to the ego that was…particularly since that kiss…that stupid kiss had replayed in her mind about a thousand times since that day.

 

For him to now be holding her close and referring to her as his wife, with no hint of embarrassment or unease made her heart flutter, despite the fact that she was mentally screaming at herself not to be swept up and away by another “role.”  Wyatt had just stolen the LifeBoat to save Jessica, after all…and, she noted, as she looked down at his left hand, he was wearing his wedding ring.  She eased herself away from him as soon as Mr. Sabin had his back turned and followed him up the narrow staircase.

 

The room they were given was well-proportioned and the one and only window faced the wharf, which Lucy found thought was immensely fortunate.  She could watch for any sign of Garcia Flynn from the safety of their room, and since they were staying in the tavern where the raiders would meet, Wyatt could join the men downstairs for a drink and discover whether any of them had seen a “tall man with a funny accent.” 

 

Lucy was all ready to discuss the finer points of the mission, but as soon as they were left alone, Wyatt turned abruptly and immediately began to apologize, “Lucy…I’m so sorry –“ he began.

 

Lucy’s heart caught in her throat as she tried to maintain her composure, “No…it’s fine…it’s just a role, right?”

 

Confusion and then pain flashed across Wyatt’s expression when he realized that Lucy thought he was apologizing for referring to her as his wife.  He hung his head and cast his eyes to the floor, “No…” he said quietly, “I meant for earlier…”

 

“Oh…” Lucy breathed out and then added with a sardonic smirk, “You mean for literally destroying everything I’ve been working on for my mother while confined to a hospital bed?”

 

Wyatt clenched his eyes shut, “Yeah…and for ya know…mauling you like some crazy asshole in front of Noah…and everyone.”

 

Lucy frowned as she shook her head at him, “He shouldn’t…he shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same if I saw someone with their hands all over yo…I mean, my fiancé.”  He really couldn’t because the reason he had challenged Noah in the first place was because had _his_ hands all over Lucy…who until recently had been _his_ wife. Seeing him kiss Lucy, stand next to Lucy…declare Lucy as his…it had been too much for Wyatt to bear in that moment. He had just risked everything to get her back only to have that asshole remind him that in this timeline he was nothing more to her than a friend, a co-worker…easily dismissed and disregarded.

 

Lucy rolled her eyes slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest, “I told you, he’s not my fiancé anymore.” 

 

“I’m sorry about that too.” Wyatt lied. 

 

Lucy let out a derisive laugh, “No, you’re not.” She eyed him knowingly, “You never liked Noah.”

 

Wyatt had to purse his lips together to avoid smiling at the familiar conversation. “You’re right,” he admitted answering in the same vein in which he responded to the other Lucy’s similar accusation, “I thought the guy was a creep from the get go…you didn’t even know his last name.”

 

She frowned as she cast her eyes downward, “You were right…you know, I should have ended it right away…as soon as I found out about him.”

 

“C’mon Lucy, don’t…”

 

“Don’t what?  Admit that I was too afraid of losing someone who cared about me…loved me…enough to want to marry me?  That, after I lost my sister I was just so desperate that I couldn’t let go of someone who…God…despite me not even remembering anything about our relationship, still wanted to…”  Wyatt was looking at her earnestly with tears in his eyes and Lucy swallowed hard, “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t be saying any of this.” She gestured to him with her hand, “You just tried to get back Jessica…I didn’t mean to –“

 

“No, Lucy.” Wyatt reached out and grabbed her hand, “It’s okay…I…um…” he took a deep breath to steady his quavering voice, “I never should have gone after Jessica.”  He couldn’t bring himself to look at her as he admitted, “I almost lost everything trying to bring her back.”

 

Lucy gave him a wry smile not understanding his full meaning, “I still don’t know how you managed to not get kicked off the team.  I don’t even know how you managed to escape prison.” she chuckled as she drew her hand away from him and sat down on the bed.  “Agent Christopher must have a soft spot for you.”

 

“Yeah…” Wyatt muttered, disappointed that she had pulled away and shifted the conversation.  He wished that he could tell her everything, but he had no idea how to even begin that conversation.  A pain throbbed in his temple as he walked over to the window and looked at the bay spread out in front of them.  The coastal town of colonial Providence was beautiful against the backdrop of a setting sun.  In another timeline, Wyatt mused, he and Lucy would be thoroughly enjoying their time alone together, without Rufus reminding them that they were on the clock.  He looked over at this Lucy with a pang of sadness…she had no idea how much she meant to him, she had no idea that he had risked everything to save _her_ and not Jessica.  She was right here with him, and yet he felt like she was out of his reach…first, because she was with Noah and now, Bam Bam.     

 

“Wyatt?  What happened to you?”  Lucy’s voice called him out of his reverie.

 

Wyatt turned from the window to see Lucy studying him with a serious expression on her face.  He shook his head lightly, “What do you mean?”

 

Lucy scoffed as she stood up and crossed over to him, “Look at yourself, Wyatt.  You showed up at my mother’s party looking absolutely wild. There’s dark circles under your eyes…it looks like you haven’t slept in weeks, your face bruised and…”

 

Wyatt’s stomach growled loudly.

 

Lucy arched her eyebrow, “When was the last time you ate something?”

 

“I’m fine.” Wyatt muttered awkwardly.  Lucy gave him a doubtful stare as his stomach growled again, “I had a Snickers bar before we left, okay?”

 

“That does not count, Wyatt.”  She studied him closely; he was pale except for the dark circles under his eyes, he looked tired, he was shaking slightly…and he was most definitely a bit thinner. “When was the last time you had a meal?”

 

Wyatt thought…he had managed to eat one piece of pizza that Rufus had brought over, but beyond that…the last full meal he had was the morning that Lucy had died…several days ago. The memory of that day brought tears to his eyes, but Wyatt blinked them away and shrugged, “I don’t know…it’s been a while.”

 

“Wyatt,” Lucy shook her head at him with a look of pity, “you need to eat.”  He continued to scan the grounds outside the window and Lucy’s heart broke at the sight of him looking so worn down and broken.  This latest disappointment on his quest to save Jessica had certainly taken a toll on him.  “Look,” she sighed, “we’ve got an hour before Captain Lindsay arrives.  Why don’t we go down to the tavern and have dinner or something?  Then we can be right in the midst of everything when he comes in without looking suspicious.”

 

Wyatt turned towards her slowly and smirked, “Are you asking me on a date, ma’am?”

 

Lucy colored, “Well...I mean… _you_ told them we were married…that’s what married people should do…right?” she gulped, “Have dinner together?”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Of course.”

 

“Alright then, let’s go have dinner…” she lifted one side of her mouth in a small smile, “…sweetheart.” Lucy said as she pulled open the door to their room.     

 

Wyatt smirked to himself and muttered softly, “Right behind you, baby doll.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love it when I find primary sources for my research...it's so much fun. There is a WEALTH of knowledge on the Gaspee Affair...and confession, I don't even remembering hearing/reading about this before...and my concentration was in American history (Colonial - Post Civil War). I stumbled upon this as I was researching something else and thought it would be fun to add in this fic. 
> 
> Sabin's Tavern is where the raiders met and it was across from the wharf...now I believe it's a parking lot or something. I find it so tragic that we don't take better care of our historical sites...but alas, that's me on my soap box. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, reviews are welcome and appreciated. I always love to hear your reactions and it does help me power through the next chapter. 
> 
> Happy Monday!


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but it's Fall and life is crazy and we're getting such awesome BTS footage, my life is just ON TWITTER right now. I am trying to bust this out as quickly as I can, but I'm finding myself pulled in all directions. I know I said I only had about two chapters left, but I actually had to cut this one because I had SO much....so it may be longer than I anticipated....AGAIN. LOL. It has a life of it's own, what can I say?
> 
> Oh and if you haven't noticed I have a new username...I'm really trying to separate my everyday life from my Timeless obsession...LOL. 
> 
> Happy Reading and remember, reviews are life. 
> 
> Thanks again for your readership!

Having dinner with Lucy…alone…had been the last thing Wyatt thought would happen after the calamitous events of the last few hours.  Since having her back, he had managed to beat up her fiancé, ruin her mother’s party, humiliate her in front of all of her Stanford colleagues, and accidentally set her up on a “non-date” with Bam Bam.  Yet, here they were in the dining room of Sabin’s Tavern, enjoying a nourishing meal by candlelight.  Granted, the candles were a necessity for the era, but Wyatt surmised, as he gazed at her across the small table, it could still count as romantic. 

 

The soft glow of candlelight amid the quaint and rustic surroundings in which they found themselves only served to add to the feeling that this dinner was much more than just two co-workers sharing a meal together.  Lucy, after Wyatt teased that she had asked him on a date, felt all the awkwardness that came when Mr. Sabin greeted the “happy couple” and showed them to a quiet table overlooking the bay.  Wyatt immediately took the initiative to speak for her, his _wife,_ as was the rule of thumb for the time, ordering them both something from the bill of fare available.  Moments later, tureens of hearty stew and a loaf of homemade bread were placed in front of them as Lucy sat stiffly with a strained smile on her face.

 

Just as with their charade in front of Bonnie and Clyde, Wyatt played his part…almost to excess.  He doted on her, asking repeatedly if she was comfortable, if she was chilly next to the window, if there was anything that she wanted to drink or eat that wasn’t already on the table in front of them, and Lucy was, despite her better judgement, enjoying the farce that they were presenting for the patrons of Sabin’s Tavern.  Though she knew this was “just a role”, it felt more natural and easy than any of her dates had been with Noah.  She trusted Wyatt, she knew Wyatt and if she allowed herself to venture further into her feelings she could admit that she probably even lov…well, she liked him enough to know that she wouldn’t mind if this charade turned into something more tangible.   One look at Wyatt’s left hand, however, reminded her that she was better served by remembering that this _was_ a role and _only_ a role…and no amount of playing make-believe would make his love for Jessica any less real. 

 

She noted, as he began eating his stew, that though he looked like he was ravenous with hunger, he deliberately took his time…making her wonder just how long it had been since he had enjoyed a full meal.  He looked tired and broken and though he seemed to be happier than what he had been when they first arrived in Providence, there was a sadness that seemed to haunt his smile, particularly when he looked at her.  Once more she was hit with a pang of guilt for intruding upon the title, the position, of the wife he had loved and lost and…just recently failed to save.  How hard it must be for Wyatt, who had come to her just the day before with such high hopes about saving his wife, to be forced into an act of playing the part of doting husband to a woman who was most definitely not Jessica.  Every second of this mission, Lucy determined, must increase his disappointment ten-fold.  How could he not be reminded of his failure every time he looked at Lucy and pretended?

 

Wyatt, for his part, was completely unaware of Lucy’s reflections.  He was far too invested in making sure that this, their first “date” went off without a hitch.  He noted as they first sat down that she seemed awkward and stiff and so he did his best to make sure that she was comfortable.  He offered her his coat when he thought that perhaps the evening ocean breeze blowing in from the open window was giving her a chill.  He proposed they switch places when he thought that maybe she would prefer the view from his side of the table and when they brought out stew and she didn’t immediately reach for her spoon, he asked if there was something else she might want to eat. 

 

He found that he was unexpectedly nervous at this, their first dinner out together, though technically, at least on Lucy’s end, this was just part of the mission.  Here, however, in the 18th century, away from fake fiancés, Bam Bam, and cell phone interruptions, Lucy was _his_ wife again and as much as it hurt him to know that that might never come to fruition in real life, he was grateful she was here…alive…and sitting across from him. His relief at having her with him again, had made him realize how hungry and weak he was after days of having no appetite.  He knew from his Delta Force POW training that it was best to not eat too quickly after days of starvation, so he took his time as he ate; in part to keep himself from being sick, but the other to prolong this time he had with Lucy where it was just the two of them.  He had missed her, he had missed them…and just having her near him again…alone…was more than he could have ever hoped for in that awful time immediately following her death. 

 

It had been mere hours since he had burned that telegram and reset the timeline, only a few hundred minutes to process the fact that she was really back, that Wyatt had, in fact, saved her.  He sat there gazing at her; there was no evidence of injury from her mishap at the Boston Massacre, no longer was there a bruise marring her the skin along her jaw from the Draft Riots, and while she looked a bit pale, no doubt from her recent battle with illness, it was a far cry from the deathly pallor that overtook her features on that rainy night in Johnstown in 1889.  She was essentially flawless. Maybe it was because he had been without her for what felt like centuries, maybe he was just that damn grateful that she was a living, breathing being again, but to Wyatt, she was even more beautiful than he had remembered.  He wasn’t just making some lame attempt at flattery when she stepped into the LifeBoat, the dress she was wearing really did look incredible on her…not that she didn’t always look picture perfect in every century, decade, and era they found themselves in.  He couldn’t help but marvel at the way the pale blue of the dress made her already dark hair seem darker, her eyes more shiny and brilliant and the pink of her lips more pronounced.  Her glossy hair was swept up partially with gentle curls gracing her shoulders and Wyatt was so tempted to reach his hand across the table and tangle his fingers in those silken tresses, losing himself in the depth of a kiss that he was sure would communicate to her everything he wanted to say, but had no idea how. 

 

‘Wyatt!?” Lucy was doing her best not to laugh at him as he startled to attention, his sleeve completely soaked as he pulled it out of his bowl of stew. 

 

“Dammit” he muttered as he flung open the cloth napkin on his lap and began sopping up the mess on his sleeve. 

 

She pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so distracted.” she observed.  Wyatt shrugged slightly, offering her a forced smile that Lucy noted was doing a poor job of hiding his embarrassment and obvious misery. Remembering what he must be feeling, she offered him a small smile full of pity as she said quietly, “You must really miss her.”

 

Wyatt stilled as her words washed over him.  He knew Lucy was referring to Jessica, and yes, he did miss _her_.  Jessica had been his wife once upon a time and he would always miss her, just as he would always love her – that was inevitable. Seeing her alive again for just that short amount of time, however, had been enough to knock him on his ass with the cold, hard truth that he had idealized what they had had out of guilt. He had come to terms with that, had embraced his love for Lucy, but now he had the added knowledge that he had sent her back to her grave so that he could save Lucy from hers.  That, of course, would always haunt him…the life that she could have led, the friendship that they would never have…yes, he regretted her loss.  However, as he looked at Lucy, her brown eyes full of sadness and compassion, he knew that the woman he was truly missing was sitting right across the table from him. 

 

Words failed him, so he nodded at her, willing her to understand that she was the one who meant the world and more to him, but Lucy ducked her head down in apparent shame and muttered, “I’m sorry about all this…”

 

Wyatt stared at her blankly, “Yo…you’re sorry about what?”

 

Lucy chuckled, “Oh you know…all of this role playing we have to do.  It must be difficult for you since…” She heaved out a sigh, “I just…I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

 

Wyatt frowned, “I’m not uncomfortable.”  His eyes darted up to hers in a slight panic, “Are…are you…uncomfortable?”

 

“No.” Lucy blurted out with such an abruptness that it caused Wyatt to suspect that she wasn’t quite being honest with him.  He swallowed hard as she laughed nervously, “I just mean that…I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

 

Wyatt sat up straighter, “I…I don’t want that either.”  He bent his head down and sighed, “Lucy, I really am sorry about what happened earlier tonight at…at Stanford.  I didn’t mean for things to get out of hand like that.”

 

Lucy closed her eyes and nodded, “I know, but to be fair…it wasn’t just you.  Noah certainly didn’t help the situation…you were obviously upset and he should’ve just…”

 

“…just let me put my hands all over you?”  Wyatt scoffed as he shook his head.  “I was out of line, Lucy…I’m sorry.”

 

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, not quite sure what to make of Wyatt’s apology.  What exactly was he sorry about?  Hugging her?  Causing problems between her and Noah?  Fighting? All of it?  Did he regret coming to see her at all?  Was he wishing he hadn’t made her feel like she was the only person on Earth he cared for? She shook her head slightly in an attempt to refocus her thoughts, “I was just so relieved to see you…after stealing the time machine, I mean…I thought for sure that you would….” Lucy bit her lip and leaned forward asking him in a slight whisper, “how _did_ you get away with it?”

 

Wyatt shrugged sheepishly, “Mason didn’t want to press charges.”  Lucy shot him a dubious glance as Wyatt cleared his throat, “And like you said…Agent Christopher must have a soft spot for me.”  He shifted uncomfortably and attempted to turn the conversation.  “So, you had double pneumonia?”

 

Lucy let out a small laugh, “You say that like its news.  Wyatt, you came to see me in the hospital.”

 

“Right.”  Wyatt inwardly congratulated himself for not being a complete jackass during her illness.  Of course, he would’ve gone to see her, it was Lucy…and no matter how much he had denied his being in love with her, it wouldn’t have prevented him from being there for her when she needed him most.  He nodded his head nervously wondering what he had said and done during that time, but Lucy answered it for him.

 

“I always looked forward to your visits…well, yours and Rufus.” she admitted with a shy smile.  “You tend to get a little stir crazy when you’re confined to a hospital room.”  Wyatt nodded at her with a smirk, which she obviously interpreted as something else, because her eyes narrowed and she playfully snapped at him, “Do you know how frustrating it was for me when you wouldn’t give me any information about your missions?  That would have at least given me something to do.” 

 

Wyatt smirked at her, remembering how the last time he had spoken to her in this timeline, she was researching their Las Vegas trip despite the fact that she was bedridden at home with a terrible cough and fever.  “Yeah, well maybe that’s because I know you too well.”  She tilted her head at him with a curious grin, “Admit it, Lucy.  You would’ve been up all hours reading up on every single event instead of resting.”

 

Her grin broke into a wide smile, “And who’s to say I didn’t do it anyway?”  

 

Wyatt shook his head at her, “Who did you sucker into giving you the mission reports?” 

 

She shrugged, “Let’s just say Agent Christopher and Jiya got tired of my incessant phone calls.”

 

Wyatt laughed…and it felt fantastic.  He could picture her sitting, propped up in a hospital bed laptop open, books piled high on the bed table, researching. “And how did we do, Professor?” Wyatt asked with a resigned sigh.   He really had no idea.  What missions had they gone on without her?  What differences were there?  Had Rufus still be shot?  Did Bam Bam still go out for a celebratory drink?  Did they even still go to the Boston Massacre?

 

Lucy frowned a bit as she said quietly, “You did great…between Wikipedia and Old Man Chartris you didn’t need me much anymore.”

 

“That’s not true.” Wyatt said softly. 

 

Lucy looked up at him doubtfully, “It is true, Wyatt. You didn’t need me on any of those missions.”

 

“Lucy, believe me” Wyatt countered seriously, “I need...I mean, we need you.”

 

Not understanding his full meaning, she shook her head with a frown “I half-wondered if it was a mistake to keep doing this.  My mother…Noah…they kept telling me that I was throwing my life away, ruining my career.” She looked up at Wyatt with an apologetic smile, “When nothing in the timeline changed and you all managed to save history on every mission…I started thinking that maybe…maybe they were right.” She sighed heavily as she gave him a small smile, “But then I remembered what you told me in Germany…that I needed to figure out what I was fighting for…”

 

“Amy.” Wyatt answered with a nod of understanding. 

 

She nodded, “I’m the only one who knows she supposed to exist.  So, if I gave up, she would really be lost.”  She swallowed hard and continued, “...and then when you came to tell me you were going to save Jessica…you were so hopeful, and determined…you weren’t worried about the consequences…” she scoffed, “…it would all be worth it to get her back, right?”

 

Wyatt’s face darkened, “Lucy…I didn’t…”

 

She shook her head at him, “It’s okay, Wyatt…I understand.”  She smiled at him weakly, “You don’t have to explain.”  She sighed, “I was upset…but only because I knew things would change…no matter what happened…or at least, I thought they would…at the time” she added with a wry smile.  Wyatt stared back at her filled with absolute regret and self-loathing, that he was so damn short-sighted he didn’t appreciate the gift that was Lucy Preston. His face twisted in anguish as she continued with a nod, “But that visit was what I needed…really.  I knew then, I had to keep fighting…just like you.  I couldn’t give up on trying to save Amy.” She sighed heavily as tears filled her eyes, “I’m so sorry it didn’t work, Wyatt…you must have been so devastated. There has to be some way…”  

 

“It did work.” Wyatt blurted out before he could stop himself.  Lucy looked back at him in startled surprise.  “I mean…no…” he sighed in frustration.  _Why was this so damn hard?_   “That’s not what…Lucy, that trip…”

 

“It’s okay, Wyatt.” Lucy said apologetically, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to…I just thought that…well, you had come to Stanford so upset…”

 

Wyatt nodded, “I just…” He clenched his eyes shut as he admitted, “I had to see you.”

 

Lucy furrowed her brow in confusion, “Why?”

 

He was just beginning to form an attempt at an answer when James Sabin approached their table and asked them how they were enjoying their meal.  Wyatt, grateful for the interruption this time, chatted with the innkeeper about the beef stew that reminded him so much of one that his Grandpa Sherwin used to make out of venison. 

 

Noticing Wyatt’s soiled sleeve, Mr. Sabin promptly removed Wyatt’s bowl and returned moments later with a new one handing him a fresh napkin as he did so.  Left alone once more,  

Wyatt felt the weight of Lucy’s penetrating stare as he attempted to nonchalantly eat his stew. He hadn’t answered her question and he could almost hear the gears in her brain working overtime to figure out why the hell he had shown up at her mother’s party, unannounced, uninvited and looking at her like the crazy, lovesick fool he knew he was.  He tapped his fingers nervously on the table and stared right back.  Lucy was currently living in a timeline that wasn’t her own.  She had come back from the Hindenburg to find her mother well, her sister gone and in her place, a fiancé whom she had never met…and though Agent Christopher had promised her a chance to save her sister, Lucy was still living in a timeline she didn’t recognize as her own.  Why couldn’t he just tell her?  If anyone could understand, she would.   

 

Wyatt leaned forward and sighed heavily, “Listen, Lucy…about that trip to save Jessica…”      

 

But before he could finish, a general uproar arose around the tavern that caused both Lucy and Wyatt to turn their attention to the door.  A group of men had just entered through the door, talking in hushed but excited voices to James Sabin who began ushering toward a room in the south east corner of the building.  Lucy turned to Wyatt with meaningful glance, “That would be Captain Lindsay, John Brown and the others.”

 

Wyatt nodded at her and removed himself from the table in an attempt to gain access to the room. Every effort he made however, was in vain.  As an unknown outsider, he was shooed away from the goings on within the back room, assured by James Sabin that it was just a drinking party, “Cards and mischief” were all that was to be found in that room he had said before dismissing him with a jovial, “You have good company in your wife, sir.”

 

Wyatt returned to Lucy with a shrug, but she wasn’t discouraged, “Well, we didn’t see Flynn with them, which means he’s probably not going to get access to that room even if he does show up here.”  She looked out of the window onto the Main Street and beyond to the wharf, “All they’re going to be doing in there is discussing the plan of attack and making bullets.  We know what the plan is...that’s not the issue.  If Flynn has gone out to the _Gaspee_ to warn Dudingston, then we have to somehow get in there to warn them that they might be rowing themselves into a trap.”

 

“How do you propose we do that?” Wyatt asked.  “I’m not getting in there…and no offense, but I don’t think you’re going to have much luck either.”

 

Lucy bit her lip, “What about Rufus?  Maybe he can get a message in there for us?”

 

Wyatt took a look back towards the door, “No way,” he shook his head, “the way that innkeeper has that room locked down, there’s no way he’s letting anyone in there.”  Wyatt observed the situation for a few moments, watching as James Sabin filled several tankards with ale and placed them carefully on a serving platter.   He nudged his jaw towards the room, “See, he’s taking a tray in there on his own. If he’s looking to protect those people in there, he’s not going to take any chances with loose lips.”

 

Lucy frowned, “Well…what are we going to do?”

 

Wyatt shrugged and gave her a small smirk, “We make it up as we go along.  One step at a time, though.”  He nodded at her seriously, “We need to get Rufus.”

 

Lucy and Wyatt made their way out of the dining room, tentatively searching the main hall for any sign of Garcia Flynn.  Once assured that he was not among the patrons, Lucy made her way up the narrow staircase while Wyatt stopped off at the bar and made a request for Rufus to “attend” to them.  After scanning the tavern once more, Wyatt followed Lucy’s lead and made his way back upstairs to their room.

 

Lucy was already at the window when Wyatt entered.  She was silhouetted against the purple and orange sky of the dusky evening; the effect the golden light had on her features coupled with the backdrop of a slowly setting sun was so stunning that Wyatt found himself a bit breathless as he stood there gazing at her profile.  Her attention, while momentarily drawn to him when he entered the room, was quickly turned back to the street where the report of a drum could be heard echoing through the town.  Wyatt crossed the room and peered out of the window behind Lucy as he muttered, “What’s that?”

 

“The drum?  It’s a summons.” She whispered, “They’re letting everyone in town know without actually telling them that something is happening tonight.” Merchants and sailors were scuttling around the quaint seaside town, hurrying up and down the street, busying themselves with the final tasks of the day as the last vestiges of sunlight streaked across an ever-darkening sky. Mid-sized merchant ships and smaller boats bobbed idly in the water, their sails looking almost pink in the dying light of day.  The entire scene looked like something out of a Winslow Homer painting.  Lucy sighed, “Gosh, it really is a beautiful view, isn’t it?”

 

“Yeah.” she heard Wyatt whisper as she sighed and straightened up, backing herself away from the window.

 

“Do you know this drum, will bring close to 500 people to…” she paused feeling Wyatt’s presence close behind her.  She turned her head slightly in order to peek over her shoulder at him.  Even in the dim light, she could tell that Wyatt wasn’t looking out at the street beyond - he was gazing at her with eyes filled with tears that looked as if they would spill out at any moment.  She turned fully to face him in confusion and concern, expecting him to step backwards away from her…but he didn’t.  He remained where he was, looking at her with such emotion that it absolutely took her breath away.  “Wyatt…?” 

 

A small gasp escaped him as he was confronted with the full force of her caramel colored eyes, boring into his own for some kind of answer as to why he was standing there, stupidly staring at her.  He knew he should back away…give her some space…talk to her, but he found himself frozen to the spot, unable to move and hardly able to breathe.  She was so close...and this time there was no fake fiancé standing by watching his every move.  Wyatt’s eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips as he murmured, “What about those 500 people?”

 

Lucy swallowed hard as she found herself slowly swaying towards him.  Her eyes searched his for an explanation of…well, everything since he had gotten back from his ill-fated trip in the LifeBoat, but what she found there left her even more confused than she already had been.  He looked at her with so much sadness...and she thought (hoped) perhaps, longing.  She couldn’t even begin to think of what that meant as she breathed out an attempt to answer his question in a voice barely above a whisper, “they gather at the wharf in order to volunteer to…um,” her voice caught in her throat as Wyatt’s hands tentatively went to her waist.  She was rooted to the spot, transfixed by the softness in Wyatt’s eyes.  She could feel his fingers gently working to tug her closer making her completely incapable of coherent thought, as Wyatt leaned in and brushed his nose across her cheek.

 

It would be so easy to ignore the screaming in her head, telling her that this was a bad idea…but she wanted this.  She wanted to lose herself in everything she had been secretly hoping for since 1934. Her eyes fluttered closed as Wyatt’s lips barely grazed over hers, sending a thrill of anticipation and pleasure down her spine…when suddenly Rufus burst through the door indignantly, “I’m your damn servant now?  What would you like, _Masters_ , since I’m supposed to be “attending” you and all?”

 

Lucy jumped away from Wyatt as if she were burned, retreating to the far side of the room, her face flushed with embarrassment.  She couldn’t bear to look at him after almost losing her head and taking advantage of his obvious torment over the disappointment of losing Jessica.  Head down and wringing her hands in mortification, she sought to compose herself in the  corner as Wyatt shot Rufus an angry grimace.    

 

He couldn’t be mad at Rufus, he had asked him to come up to the room, after all.  Instead, he was inwardly cursing himself for getting carried away by his emotions.  He hadn’t meant to get caught up in the moment like that, but standing that close to Lucy, looking out at the sparkling bay, being together in the dark...it wasn’t exactly a recipe for keeping things professional between them, especially when his feelings were still so damn raw.  He missed her so much and she had no idea…no idea what he had gone through over the past few days, how much heartache he had endured…hell, she didn’t even know how much he loved her.  What the hell would she be thinking now?  He looked over to where she had withdrawn, almost tucked away into the corner.   She might as well had been on a different planet.  That slip…that lack of self-control had just succeeded in making things even more awkward and tense between them.

 

“Hello?”  Rufus snapped his fingers, “What do you want, now that you dragged my ass up here?  A couple of beers?  Some pretzels?  You better not be thinking I’m going to be taking care of your chamber pots because if that’s it you can kiss my…”   

 

“C’mon Rufus, do you really think we would do that to you?” Wyatt spat out in frustration as Rufus glared at him, unconvinced. “It’s not our fault this is the way things are around here.” Wyatt reminded him, “Look, I asked for you so we could get you out of there.  We need to come up with some sort of plan.”

 

Rufus shrugged, “Alright then, what do we need to do?”

 

Wringing her hands together and making every effort not to look at Wyatt, Lucy whispered harshly to Rufus, “First things first, you haven’t seen Flynn skulking around, have you?”

 

“No…can’t say that I have being that I’ve been in a room with a dozen or more black folks.”

 

Lucy heaved out a sigh, “Great.  That means he’s probably already warned Dudingston.”

 

Wyatt sat down on the bed and took of his ruined jacket with a huff, “No way any of us are getting in that room.  So how are we going to warn them that Flynn and his band of assholes might be waiting to blow them out of the damn water?”

 

“Well, if that’s Flynn’s plan there’s not going to be a whole hell of a lot that we can do.” Rufus argued, “He’s going to be on a big ass boat for one, and two, I imagine he’s going to have a cannon at his disposal…now I may not be the soldier here, but something tells me that gives him one hell of an advantage.”

 

Lucy sighed heavily, “There’s got to be something that we can do to make sure this still goes off the way it’s supposed to.”  She shook her head as she paced the room, her thoughts battling against her.  Part of her brain was attempting to come up with some sort of answer to the very serious problem they were facing with the _Gaspee_ , the other part was reeling from that interrupted moment with Wyatt.  What the was that even about?  She chanced one quick glance at him as he sat lost in his own thoughts on the bed, the hammering of her heart,  matching the beating of the drum outside.  “Ugh…I can’t think” she muttered furiously, “…stupid drumming.”

 

Wyatt sat up straighter, “You said that drum was like a summons, right?”  Lucy nodded, “Well, then we get down there and tell the people that come to volunteer that we heard that someone rowed out to the _Gaspee_ to warn them that an attack was being planned for tonight.”  He stood up and looked out of the window at the small crowd gathered below, “How many people are on the Gaspee again? 

 

“27…not counting Flynn  _if_ he’s there.” Lucy answered as she crossed the room tentatively and made her way next to him at the window.  Wyatt’s eyes were focused on the small crowd assembling now at the wharf, his brow furrowed in thought. 

 

“Okay,” he murmured after a while, “if Flynn is out there then the element of surprise is gone…he’ll be waiting for them.  But…what if we could get them to send more boats, all from different points?”  He turned to face Lucy who was staring at him intently.   

 

“So,” she muttered, “we try to convince all 500 to go…and not just the 64.” She bit her lip in thought and smiled at Wyatt who gave her a soft smile back.  “I think that might work…”

 

“Of course, it will work,” Rufus exclaimed, “Flynn is going to expect things to happen as is…and hell, it doesn’t matter anyway…with more boats he’s gonna have a hell of a time keeping them all at bay.”

 

Wyatt nodded, “Okay, Rufus…you and I are going to go down there and try to figure convince as many people as we can to get out on those boats and row towards the _Gaspee_.”  

 

“I’m sorry,” argued Lucy, “you and Rufus?  What about me?”

 

Wyatt stared back at Lucy with more than a little apprehension.  The last mission that involved water and Flynn had ended with Lucy’s death.  Granted, this was no flood…but Wyatt didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks.  Here she was safe.  Here, she was protected.  Here, Flynn wasn’t.  Wyatt traded glances with Rufus before approaching Lucy apologetically, “Look, why don’t you let us handle this and you stay in the room and…rest?”

 

“Oh, that’s rich, coming from you.” Lucy said as she rolled her eyes.  “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

 

“He hasn’t” Rufus offered up truthfully.

 

Wyatt shot him an annoyed glance before continuing his plea to Lucy, “Look…it’s nothing personal…you just got out of the hospital…I just think that you would be in a better position here to check out what’s going on from up here…you could be our lookout.”

 

Lucy gave him a withering stare, “What are we 8 and playing in a tree house?”

 

“No…Lucy it’s just that…”

 

But Lucy was already headed towards the door, turning to him as she wrenched it open, “I can talk to people just as well as you can. Do you know that some of the most vital information about the Revolution was passed to George Washington through women?  Anna Smith Strong? Lydia Barrington Darragh? Ring a bell?”

 

“Um…no…actually.” Wyatt said with a shrug to Rufus who looked just as lost as he was. 

 

Lucy colored slightly as she tossed her head back defiantly, “Well, that’s precisely why I’m going along…for every woman who was ever been upstaged by a man.”

 

Wyatt looked helplessly at Rufus who shook his head frantically, “Hell no…don’t you dare try to get me to argue with her over this.  That’s all you, man.”

 

Wyatt stared at Lucy in frustration.  He wasn’t going to win this argument, he knew…but he had to get her to understand that he was trying to do this for her own good.  He looked at Rufus, “Can you…give us a minute?”

 

Rufus glanced at Lucy who was standing with her arms crossed in front of her chest, angrily staring back at Wyatt who was nervously running his hand across the back of his neck. “Okay…it’s your funeral.” he muttered as he walked over to the window and looked out pretending not to hear. 

 

“What the hell, Wyatt?” Lucy spat out.  “You think that just because I haven’t been on these  missions for a while, I don’t remember how things work?”

 

“No, Lucy it’s not that…”

 

“Because I seem to remember saving _your_ life a few times,” she argued passionately, “Chicago, Watergate…the Alamo.”

 

“Jesse James” Rufus muttered unconcernedly from the window.   

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt groaned, “please, just hear me out, okay?”  She stared daggers at him for a few beats before finally relenting with a nod, her arms still crossed over her chest.  Wyatt sank down on the bed, “Look, this isn’t about your abilities or even the fact that you’re a woman…I will be the first to admit that on every damn mission you haven’t been on, we’ve gotten into trouble.”  She jutted her chin at him and rolled her eyes, “And yes, Lucy…you’ve saved our asses more times than I ever expected out of a civilian like you.”

 

“You mean a woman.” Lucy gritted out.

 

“No.” Wyatt insisted, “I didn’t expect it of Rufus either...” Rufus shot him a look of shocked dismay which Wyatt answered with a shrug.  “Both of you have surprised the hell out of me.  I never thought that after Delta Force I would be able to put my life in the hands of untrained civilians, but here I am.” He took stood up from the bed and made a large step towards her, “And I trust _you,”_ he declared firmly as his eyes locked on hers, “but I’m asking you to trust _me_.  Please just…stay here so that I can know you’re safe.”

 

Lucy uncrossed her arms and gaped at him, “You just got finished telling me that every mission I haven’t been on has led to trouble…and now you want to leave me behind?”

 

He rubbed the back of his neck again, “You arehere, you’re on this mission…I just don’t want you out there with Flynn, okay?  We don’t know where the hell he is and if we don’t have to take the risk this time, I don’t think we should.”

 

“What risk?” Lucy cried out in exasperation.  “Have you seen Flynn?  All we’re doing is going down there and talking to a few people.  I’d hardly call that risky.”

 

“Um…guys.” Rufus called from the window. 

 

“Not now, Rufus!” they both spat out at him.

 

“Um…guys!” Rufus called again more insistently.

 

“Not now, Rufus!” They both gritted out loudly. 

 

 “GUYS!” Rufus finally yelled as Wyatt and Lucy both rolled their eyes at him.

 

“What?” The both said together in a resigned sigh. 

 

“The British are coming.”

 

“Wh…wait, what?” Lucy asked as she stood there gaping at him. 

 

“I mean the actual British…the Redcoats, the King’s men…whatever the hell you want to call them…they’re here.” Rufus explained frantically.

 

Wyatt quickly crossed over to the window.  Sure enough there was a band of about 30 soldiers making their way down the street towards the wharf Lucy was soon at Wyatt’s elbow, peering out into the dark street.  “I’m guessing this wasn’t supposed to happen?” Wyatt asked her seriously. 

 

“No…Flynn must have sent out an alert.  What are we going to do now?” she whispered urgently.

 

Rufus sighed, “Well, if Flynn told them what was going on and who to look for, I’d say that little secret meeting isn’t going to be secret for long.” 

 

“We need to get down there and warn them before those soldiers get in here.” Wyatt said urgently as he made his way to the door. 

 

Lucy made to follow, but Wyatt stopped her, “Please, Lucy…no...just…just stay here, okay?”

 

“Wyatt,” she hissed angrily with a flash of defiance in her eyes, “I am a grown woman…I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions in regards to my safety and what risks I am willing to take.”  Wyatt kept trying to argue with her, but she spoke over him, “You don’t get to decide that for me.”

 

“Lucy, dammit, listen to me!” Wyatt exclaimed passionately, ”I am not about to risk losing you again.”

 

She stared back at him in marked confusion as Rufus harshly whispered, “If you want to do this thing, we need to go like now.”

 

Wyatt turned to her with pleading eyes, “Look, if those soldiers bust in here and catch Rufus and I tipping off those raiders we’re gonna need somebody to help us get out of here, okay?

 

“But…” Lucy tried to argue.

 

“Please, Lucy, I’m begging you.” Wyatt pleaded softly, “Just stay here.”

 

Still confused by Wyatt’s outburst, but absolutely arrested by the desperation in his face, Lucy nodded slowly as he and Rufus slipped out of the room, securing the door behind them. She returned to the window in a huff and plopped down, watching the approach of a unit of soldiers with growing apprehension.  They were nearer now and any moment they would be entering the tavern.   

 

Lucy bit her lip and looked immediately below her at the tavern door, no one was coming in or out. She stood up and paced the room nervously, her anxiety only heightened by the sounds of the soldiers shouting orders outside and the ominous absence of the drum.

 

_Why was it taking so long?_

She paced the room anxiously, willing her mind to cease the endless foray of hypothetical disastrous situations her friends could find themselves in, leaving her essentially helpless in the 18thcentury.  If they were caught, imprisoned, set up before a firing squad charged with high treason against the Crown…what would she do?  A large knot seemed to be forming in the pit of her stomach and she could feel herself on the verge of an all-out panic attack. She needed to think about something else… _anything_ else. 

 

In an effort to clear her mind and calm her breathing, she made her way over to the quilted four poster bed and sat down.  Wyatt’s suit jacket was lying haphazardly on top of the covers where he had discarded it earlier.   She ran her fingers over the ruined sleeve with a small smile, remembering how silly he had looked with his arm planted firmly in his bowl of stew.    Despite being a little put out with Wyatt in her current situation as “look out”, she had had a good time at dinner.  Even if it was just a farce, even if it was just for the mission, spending time with Wyatt, one on one, was something she hadn't expected to ever happen again, after his commandeering of the Lifeboat.  She still wasn't sure how he managed to get out of prison over such a blatant disregard for the rules, but she wasn't complaining.  Her illness had made her feel left out and alone, so having the opportunity to be back with her team...with Wyatt...was something she was not about to pass up.  Yes, she had the rest of the week off, but after everything that had happened that night with Wyatt stealing the Lifeboat and later, his fight with Noah, she was not about to let them leave her behind again.  Wyatt was obviously still reeling from his disappointment, was very clearly in a state of distress and she couldn't help but think of his similar state of despair at the Alamo.   Her concern for him far outweighed any time off that Noah insisted she take.  Being able to spend some time alone with him had allowed her to see just how broken down and dejected he was and it made her heart ache.  She had never seen him looking so desperate and she wanted, more than anything, to help him through this...but she was afraid, especially now, that by doing so, she was risking more than just her own heart.      

Yes, she had been struggling with her mounting feelings for Wyatt for quite some time…but he had told her on more than one occasion that Jessica was his one and only.  He had just risked his career, his freedom, everything to try to save her life, he was wearing his wedding ring…and yet, he was the one who tried to kiss her.  She was at once grateful and irritated by Rufus’ intrusion on what could have been a beautiful and long awaited encore of that kiss in Arkansas.  Grateful, because kissing Wyatt without the threat of certain death hanging over their heads would undoubtedly lead to an awkwardness between them that she wasn’t sure they could overcome…especially since the original kiss had already left her with what she was sure amounted to an unhealthy desire for more.  Irritated, because a part of her wanted desperately to throw caution to the wind and allow herself to be swept away in whatever it was Wyatt wanted from her…professionalism be damned.

She knew, however, that by doing so she would be setting herself up for heartbreak.  Wyatt was committed to his wife…that wedding ring on his finger was evidence enough of that and she was not about to allow herself to get caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that was clearly causing a storm within him.  He had come to her, desperate, pleading…a mess, really…telling her that this was his chance, his only chance to save Jessica and he was going to take it no matter the consequences.  It had broken her heart when he told her that getting Jessica back would be worth losing his place on the team, losing his career, even going to prison.  She didn’t blame him.  How could she? 

The only reason she remained on the team, after all, was to save Amy.  Well…that was almost the only reason.  She would risk everything to have her sister back, she understood what it was like to face that time machine every day, knowing that one trip could make the difference.  One trip could bring back the person you loved and missed the most.  But if she were being honest with herself, part of the reason she remained on this team was because of him.  They were friends and team mates, after all, they trusted each other, depended and relied on one another, needed one another…but that was why whatever this was, couldn’t happen.  He was vulnerable and if she took advantage of that vulnerability, what would that do to their relationship?  What would come of it?

 

Nothing good. 

 

Once more, Lucy crossed to the window, the soldiers were filing into the tavern now, and the dread mounting in her chest was nearing full-blown panic.  She bit her lip nervously as she strained her ears for the sounds of any disturbance downstairs…but there was nothing.  Minutes passed and still there was…nothing. Restless now, she began pacing frantically in the room determined that if they were not back in the next few minutes she was going to go downstairs after them.  She had just crossed back over to the door when frantic shouts and a bell reached her ears.  She raced over to the window and saw soldiers rushing off down the streets towards an orange haze. 

 

Fire. 

 

Lucy’s eyes widened at the sight as a wave of overwhelming anxiety overtook her.  What had they done? The _Gaspee_ was supposed to be burn…not the _town_.  Her eyes frantically scanned the street below as pandemonium erupted from all corners. Townspeople were pouring out of every door lining the street, soldiers were calling out commands and urging people to remain calm.  But there was no sign of either Rufus or Wyatt.  Lucy paced the room again, even more restless than she had been before, doing her best to remain calm…except every second that they weren’t back, filled her with insurmountable dread.  What had happened?  Where did they go?  Did the raiders escape?  Were they involved in this?  Not interested in remaining in the dark any longer, Lucy marched resolutely towards the door of their room, wrenched it open and made her way downstairs.  The tavern was almost completely empty.  One look towards the open door of the back room informed her that the meeting which was supposed to last until 10PM that evening was now over. Whether they had left of their own accord or had been rounded up by the soldiers, she had no idea…nor would she get any answers by standing stupidly in the foyer of the tavern.  Taking a deep breath, she strode towards the open front door and stepped out into the chaos of the cool, crisp and smoke filled night.    

 

 

 


	30. Chapter 30

Breathing heavily and rushing along the darkened backstreets of the seaside town, Rufus and Wyatt made their way back to Sabin’s Tavern, ducking behind crates, carts, and whatever else they could find at the slightest sign of a British soldier. They seemed to be everywhere now that there was a fire raging just a block away from where the wharf was located. Confusion and alarm had brought citizens out into the streets from their homes and only added to the chaos of the scene. 

 

“Do you think the rest of them had enough time to get away?” Rufus asked as they leaned up against the outside wall of the tavern.

 

Wyatt shrugged as he peered around the building and out into the street, “I don’t know.  It looks like they’re more concerned with the fire than anything else right now.”

 

“Yeah, but do you think that’s gonna be enough to keep them occupied?”  Rufus said with a concerned glance at Wyatt.  “I mean, this wharf is not that far from where they are right now…and they’ve got to get 60 odd people, possibly more in boats...undetected?” 

 

Wyatt shrugged, “We can always stick around here to make sure they get off okay.  Make another distraction if necessary.  No need to rush back.”

 

Rufus gave him a sideways glance and shook his head, “Yeah right, what was I thinking? Why not just stay here indefinitely, right?  Or at least until you get up the damn nerve to tell Lucy the truth.”

 

“What?” Wyatt responded as he straightened up, affronted.

 

“Don’t play coy with me, man.  Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on in that lovesick brain of yours.” 

 

Wyatt shrugged at him, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“The hell you don’t.” Rufus scoffed.  “Tell me you aren’t trying to keep us here as long as possible so that Lucy doesn’t make that date with Bam Bam.”

 

“It’s not a date.” Wyatt said with a frown, “she said so.”

 

“Uh-huh…and if it’s not a date then why don’t we go back right now?”  Rufus offered with a smirk, “The raiders are out there rallying the townsfolk, the British soldiers are distracted…I think we can call this mission a success and get home before my new episode of _Dr. Who_ comes on.”

 

“We’ll just see what Lucy has to say about that first, okay?” Wyatt said with an aggravated huff. “I’m sure she’ll want to make sure this all goes off without any more problems.” Wyatt took another glance into the street only to see with dismay that there were still about five soldiers hanging around the front door of the tavern.  “Is there a back way into this place?”

 

Rufus nodded pointing to the door just inside the white picket fence enclosing the small yard in the back, “That door leads into the servant’s quarters…we should be able to get in that way.”

 

Slipping through the rickety grate, Wyatt led Rufus up to the door and eased it open.  The room, which Rufus had been quartered in for a short period of time upon their initial arrival was simple, but large and comfortable. There was a large plain table in the center of the room and a gaping fireplace on the far wall.  Typically bustling with activity, as servants shuffled in and out of the room and into the tavern beyond, the room was now unnervingly empty.  Everyone, it seemed, was taking stock of the situation outside.  Moving further into the tavern now, Wyatt had to smile at how something like a house fire could cause such a scene as that which met his eyes as he entered the bar room.  Cards lay scattered on a game table, drinks half touched, left sitting in front of vacant chairs, some of which were overturned in the excitement that followed the cry of alarm.  He had been right, that distraction had served to provide them the opportunity they needed to allow the raiders to slip out undetected into the mild June evening.

 

At least that was something.

 

Crossing into the front parlor, Wyatt and Rufus noted the open front door.  The soldiers who had been amassed around the entrance were now gone, evidently whisked away to the scene of the fire.  That was good news – Flynn could have easily offered the British soldiers a description of the trio and though Wyatt was not looking forward to getting back to the cold, harsh reality of the 21stcentury and what that meant for Lucy, he wasn’t exactly keen on being thrown into an 18thcentury prison either.  Together, they made their way up the narrow staircase, both of them dreading the wrath that was bound to come from Lucy when she found out what they had done.    

       

Upon opening the door to the room, however, Wyatt’s heart caught in his throat as he glanced around the empty space.  “Lucy?” he called out in a voice that was quaking with fear.  “Lucy!?” he called out again as if doing so would make her suddenly materialize.  He turned to Rufus in a state of panic, “Where the hell is she?” 

 

Grabbing his coat and rushing towards the door, Wyatt raced down the steps as his heart pounded in his chest.  “Lucy!?” He cried out into the night, but his voice was lost in the din of the panic that was now erupting in almost every corner of Providence. “Do you see her, Rufus?” Wyatt asked helplessly. 

 

“No.” Rufus said in a voice of measured concern, “I’m sure she’s fine, Wyatt.” he tried to assure him. She probably just came out here to investigate the fire like everybody else.”

 

Turning circles helplessly in the middle of the dark street, trying to catch a glimpse of her, Wyatt kicked himself for leaving her alone.  Determined to not let panic overtake him he grabbed Rufus by the arm roughly and made his way back down the street towards the fire. 

 

Providence was in uproar. The soldiers that had heretofore been standing guard at the wharf were now gathered together on the next block; some of them attempting to maintain order, the others desperately trying to put out the fire that was now pouring out of the lower and upper windows of a townhome on the far corner.  Citizens were rushing to the scene, some incline to help, others to gawk.  Lucy desperately searched the faces in the crowd for Wyatt and Rufus, but once again, saw no sign of them.  Shaking now, from absolute fear, she rushed up and down the street calling for them even as her voice was drowned out in the shouts of the townspeople surrounding her.  She stood helplessly in the road, her hand to her forehead in nervous agitation, until a wagon laden down with water barrels came rushing by.  She jumped out of the way with a gasp only to find herself seized by the waist and pulled into an alley. 

 

Unable to see or even hear her captor over the din, she turned quickly and made to strike a blow, but found her arm gently arrested by a familiar set of hands, “Whoa there, professor.” Wyatt breathed out with a smirk, “It’s just us.”  As soon as Lucy breathed out a sigh of relief, he narrowed his eyes at her, “Why didn’t you stay in the room?  Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?”  

 

“Me?  What about you?” Lucy hissed. “What did you do?  There’s not supposed to be a fire _here_ , there’s supposed to be a fire out _there_.” she gritted out emphasizing her argument with an accusatory finger pointing towards the bay.     

 

Wyatt shook his head at her, “We needed a distraction.  We got a few of them out, but those damn soldiers were everywhere.”  Lucy shook her head nervously, raising a shaking hand to her forehead.  “Look, they were going to burn the _Gaspee_ anyway, right?  Well, why not go for the next best thing?”

 

Lucy’s eyes darted to his, “What’s the next best thing?”

 

Wyatt shrugged as he muttered, “The Customs House.”

 

Lucy stared back at him, “There is no Customs House in Providence until 1790…until then, all customs issues were handled by…”she gasped, “Are you telling me you set fire to Ebenezer Tyler’s _home_?!” 

 

“It wasn’t my idea.” Wyatt explained.  “That was that Captain Lindsay who came up with that plan.  Rufus and I just…”

 

“Committed arson, yeah…we’re arsonists now.” Rufus nodded frantically.

 

“And what if the whole town does go up in flames, Wyatt?” Lucy countered angrily. 

 

“It’s won’t.” he said unconvincingly. 

 

“But what if it does?” she argued back.  “Do you have any idea what kind of impact that could have?”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes in frustrated annoyance, “Look, we’re just doing this for a distraction, okay? You remember how crazy things got when they set that fire at the Draft Office in 1863…this will be like that…except without the mob…hopefully.”

 

Lucy stared blankly up at him, “What are you talking about?”

 

Wyatt looked back at her in confusion for half a second before darting his eyes to Rufus who was shaking his head at him urgently.  Shit. “Oh…um…nothing…I forgot you weren’t on that mission.” 

 

“What mission?” Lucy asked with a furrowed brow, “There wasn’t a mission to 1863 when I was sick…”

 

Wyatt stared at her uncomfortably, finally looking to Rufus for help as the pilot stepped forward hesitantly, “Well…um…you know….it was probably a different year.  We didn’t have our historian so...”

 

“You said Draft office,” she said with a knowing look to Wyatt who swallowed hard, “did you go to the New York City Draft Riots?”

 

“No.” Wyatt quickly lied. Lucy stared at him and he knew from the tilt of her head that she wasn’t buying it.  Still, he stared back at her, trying his best to look convincing until the memory of _them_ that night, in the hotel room, crept into the forefront of his mind.  Realizing, suddenly, how awkward it would be for the Lucy in this timeline if she ever found out, he averted his eyes from hers as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment and shame. 

 

Lucy continued to stare at him doubtfully as she continued to press the issue, “That would’ve been a dangerous mission“ she turned quickly to Rufus in an attempt to get him to crack under the pressure of her interrogation, “especially for you.” Rufus groaned as she rounded on him.  He looked to Wyatt desperately for help, but Wyatt was still keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the ground.  She quirked her eyebrow at him, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little limp…how did you get that, Rufus?”

 

“Can we talk about this later?” Rufus exclaimed uncomfortably, “we do have a situation going on that does not involve me talking to you about a very traumatic and terrible experience for me.”

 

‘So, you admit it? You did get that at the Draft Riots.” she said triumphantly.

 

“No, I did not.” Rufus sassed back at her but as Lucy continued to stare him down, he relented and hissed, ‘Fine...I got this at the Boston Massacre, okay?  Musket ball right in the damn leg.” 

 

“Rufus!” Wyatt yelled out in frustration as Lucy startled back confused.  She clearly hadn’t been expecting the confession of yet another mission that she had not been told about.  Her confused frown soon gave way to a pained expression and Wyatt threw his head back in exasperation at how easily Rufus was pressured into admitting that all was not as it had seemed. 

 

“The Boston Massacre?” Lucy asked in shocked disbelief. She turned to face Wyatt, her voice quavering with anger, “Is this true, did you go to the Boston Massacre?” 

 

“Dammit Rufus!” Wyatt gritted out, “Why’d you have to tell her?” 

 

“Me? You’re the one talking about the damn Draft Riots.” Rufus countered back. 

 

 “So you did go to New York.” Lucy spat out angrily, as she continued, “And to Boston.”

 

“No…I mean, yes…I mean, no…I mean, _I_ didn’t go to Boston, okay?” Wyatt stuttered out “It’s…it’s more complicated than that.”

 

“Define complicated” Lucy said cooly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. 

 

“Later.” Wyatt promised as he looked out into the street. At Lucy’s impatient huff, he glanced back at her and pleaded, “Look, Lucy…believe me, I want to tell you everything…but now is not the time.  You want to get those boats out to the Gaspee, right?”  She nodded in resignation, “Then, we need to do whatever we can to help make that happen.”  He ignored Rufus’s eye roll as he continued, “Captain Lindsay is rounding up some volunteers, but there’s no way in hell they’re going to be able to push off from here if the soldiers are down at the end of the next block…somebody is bound to see all those boats.”  

 

Lucy bit her lip in thought. She was still upset about the admission that she had been lied to…and for what purpose?  Did something terrible happen on these missions?  Had history changed drastically and they were trying to keep her in the dark about it?  Her anxiety over the entire revelation coupled with the pandemonium in the streets made her head pound as she desperately tried to focus.  How could they fix this? 

 

“Lucy?”  Wyatt asked tentatively. 

 

She rubbed her temples as she paced in the alley, “I don’t know…I don’t know what to do, Wyatt.” she cried out helplessly “Sixty four men need to get in eight long boats and surround the Gaspee…but if Flynn is out there and they know they’re coming, they’re going to be dead in the water.”  She huffed again, “I need to find Abraham Whipple…he’s the one who’s supposed to lead this expedition.  He’ll know what to do.”

 

Wyatt looked over at Rufus, “Okay…well, I don’t know who that is…any idea where we can find him?”

 

Lucy let out a whimper, “He was supposed to be in that meeting in the back room.  They all were…but now…” she threw her hands up in frustration and pointed towards the raging fire down the street.

 

Wyatt held onto her shoulders, “Hey…hey it’s okay.  We’ll figure something out.”  He looked out into the street.  The activity around the wharf had lessened considerably as the fire continued to rage a block away.  “C’mon,” he said as he offered her his arm, “let’s just go for a walk.”  When she looked up at him with concern, he smiled reassuringly at her, “We’ll make it up as we go, okay?”     

 

Lucy nodded as Wyatt checked to see that the coast was clear as they made their way out in the street.  Under the guise of leading his wife out for an evening stroll, Wyatt led the three of them out of the protection of the alley and out onto the Main Street.  For all of his concern for Lucy’s safety, Wyatt was inwardly pleased to have an excuse to hold her close and feel, even if it was “just for the mission” a semblance of what they had once had together in another timeline.  Though he would never admit it, he knew Rufus was right.  He had no idea how they were going to set this mission right…but he really didn’t care.  The longer they had to stay in 1772, the longer Lucy was his wife and that thought, more than anything, kept his spirits up as they approached the wharf. 

 

Lucy’s feelings towards Wyatt were even more confused than they had been previously.  He had lied to her…maybe not at first, since he refused to divulge the specifics of their missions to her while she was in the hospital, but he had certainly lied to her now.  What had happened that all of them had decided to keep her in the dark, going so far as to provide her with false data?  Had history change that much?  Wyatt did just admit that every mission they had gone on without her had led to trouble. What kind of trouble?  Was he alluding to something that had happened during her three-week hiatus?  She managed a quick sideways glance to his battered face…he had not looked like that when she had last seen him…before he had stolen the LifeBoat.  Whatever had caused that had to have happened on his trip to save Jessica, but if it was just an attempt to save her life then why on Earth did he look like he had gotten into a massive fist fight?  Why did it look like he hadn’t slept or eaten in days if it had been only a few hours? 

 

Something was not right. 

 

“Huh?” Wyatt asked as they made their way down the next block. 

 

Lucy startled, “Oh…um….nothing.”  She cleared her throat, “Just thinking out loud, I guess.”

 

He tucked her arm closer to his and smiled down at her softly, “You’re not cold are you?”

 

Lucy was once again taken aback by the expression on his face, “No…I’m just fine.”  She ducked her head to hide the small smile that was forming independently on her lips.  She wished he didn’t have such an affect on her…especially now when she was halfway angry at him.  She felt so pathetic, pining after a man who was still so very clearly in love with his dead wife.  He had just risked everything, literally everything, in an attempt to get her back, so why did this charade not feel like a charade at all? 

 

It was probably wishful thinking, Lucy surmised as they walked arm and arm together down the cobblestone streets.  They had been getting so close over the past few missions, and so naturally, the camaraderie they felt as teammates, as co-workers, would strengthen their bond. She couldn’t help but feel, however, that after that kiss in Arkansas, _something_ was different between them.  At times, she believed that it was all one-sided, that she was the only one who had been affected by that kiss.  But then Lucy remembered the way he looked at her when he pulled away, the confusion on his face that made her question whether he felt that spark ignite within him just as she did.  Another quick glace up at Wyatt as he scanned the scene around them had her shrinking away in shame as she remembered his answer when she stupidly talked about being open to possibilities…

 

Lucy inwardly berated herself.  She had basically thrown herself at him and he had countered it with his talk of Jessica and the lightning bolt from the heavens that she was.  It didn’t matter how much closer she felt they were getting, she could never compare to the wonder that was his wife.  It had taken every bit of self-restraint she had not to call after him, in tears, when he came to her just the evening before to let her in on his plan to save the love of his life.  She had tried to hide the heartbreak, knew she had failed…saw the look of pity in his eyes when he asked her if she was okay.  She wasn’t.  His desperate act was bound to change everything between them.  If he had succeeded and Jessica was alive, he would be completely lost to her.  Add in the fact that he would have stolen the time machine, gone against orders?  At a minimum, he would be removed from the team. Yet he stood in front of her and declared that no matter the consequences, it would all be worth it. Maybe it was the romantic in her, but a part of her wished that someone would love her as much as Wyatt loved Jessica…and despite her better judgement…if she was being completely and painfully honest with herself…she knew that someone she was thinking of was Wyatt.   

 

Which was silly, since he had just laid out every reason why he would never return her ever growing affections.  Of course, she hadn’t been exactly free either.  Being “engaged” to Noah didn’t exactly make her available.   She tried…oh, how she tried to pretend…to trick her heart into feeling more for him than it did.  He cared for her, she had no doubt, but that Lucy he fell in love with didn’t exist and she saw it every time he looked at her, every time he tried to kiss her and she tensed in his embrace, every time they ran out of things to talk about on their increasingly awkward dates.  Noah had looked at her with bewilderment more times than not and where there was once affection behind his eyes, now there was only pain and confusion.   

 

Well,…not anymore.                                                                                            

 

Noah’s jealousy of Wyatt and their subsequent school yard brawl in the middle of her mother’s party had affected her so strongly that when he attempted to smooth everything over with her and blame the whole thing on the “blue-collar jackass” Lucy was so disgusted that she ended the whole thing right there.  Ignoring her mother’s pleas and protests, she passed her speech off to another professor and stormed out of the place.  Knowing what Wyatt had just come back from, knowing how much he had his hopes pinned on success, knowing that he was probably reeling with disappointment, she couldn’t bear to be associated with someone who would be that unfeeling towards someone she, at the very least, considered a good friend.   

 

And then there was the added knowledge that what she felt when Noah held her was nothing compared to how she felt when Wyatt did.  She had never seen him looking so desperate as he did in that moment when he took her in his arms at the foot of those stairs and buried his face in her hair. His appearance had been so unexpected…and his demeanor even less so.  He gazed at her in a way he had never looked at her before...and, she noted with another quick glance up at him, that he had continued to look at her with that same expression of sadness and longing…though she wasn’t sure why. All she knew was that still being engaged to Noah after that fight was impossible; she was living a lie, stringing him along and it wasn’t fair…to either of them.  He was, essentially, a nice guy…he was a victim in all of this mess, just as she was…but without the benefit of the whole picture.  He would never understand why she wasn’t the same woman he fell in love with and months of playing make believe hadn’t changed her feelings towards him in the slightest.  Ending her fake engagement, therefore, was more of a relief than anything, if only for the mere fact that she didn’t have to pretend to be something she wasn’t anymore. 

 

Of more pressing concern to her now, however, were her feelings for Wyatt.  She was setting herself up for heartbreak if she continued to think that any of his recent actions had anything to do with her.  Whatever it was that Wyatt was feeling, it was clearly centered on and related to his disappointment in not saving Jessica.   Yes, he had just tried to kiss her, but that was the problem…she didn’t want to be his consolation prize - a stand-in - until the day he somehow managed to bring her back.  No.  She knew it was a lost cause with him…and that, really, was the main reason she had decided to take Bam Bam up on his offer for a drink.  No, it wasn’t a date…but after Noah and after all the crazy mixed signals she was getting from Wyatt, she felt like drinks out with someone who wasn’t her fake fiancé and wasn’t her sometimes husband would be a nice change.  For the first time in a long time, she would be going out with someone who wasn’t under some obligation to her either as a surprise addition to an altered timeline or as a co-worker.  Dave Baumgardner appeared to be a nice guy and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her better.  So why shouldn’t she jump at the opportunity to let her hair down and enjoy herself with someone who wanted to know more about her...the real Lucy? 

 

Lucy jumped back suddenly as she realized that Wyatt and Rufus were both staring at her expectedly. She startled, “I’m sorry…what?”

 

Wyatt exchanged a glance with Rufus, “I said, we’re going to help Captain Lindsay move some of those boats into the water.”  Wyatt stooped slightly to look at her, “Are you feeling alright?”

 

Lucy looked around and noted that they were now surrounded by a large group of men…somehow in her musings she had completely lost track of where she was and what was going on.  The shock evident on her face was enough to bring a smile to Wyatt’s as Lucy exclaimed, “Oh I’m sorry…I didn’t…I didn’t realize.”

 

“Figured.” Wyatt said with a chuckle, “I’ve never seen you not jump at the opportunity to chat up some historical figure before.  You just stood here staring off into space while he communicated the whole plan to us.” Wyatt leaned in towards her, “And you thought I was distracted earlier…are you sure you’re okay?”

 

Lucy nodded, shame-faced. “I’m sorry…it’s just been a long night. That’s all.”  The men surrounding her, save Wyatt and Rufus, were all dressed in dark garments, their faces camouflaged as they silently moved boats from the nearby shipping warehouse into the water.  Lucy stood off to the side as Wyatt eyed her warily.  She gave him a small wave as she backed herself into the darkened recess of the looming dock yard.

 

The men worked swiftly and silently, crouching down as they eased long boat after long boat into the water. Wrapping each oar and oar lock with fabric so that it would muffle the sounds of their approach, they moved through the water soundlessly as they made way for more and more boats.  There were more men silently approaching the wharf now, cautiously keeping an eye out for the British soldiers.  Wyatt worked tirelessly, running in and out of the warehouse, handing off boats, oars, anything he could to assist the raiders before the British soldiers returned from the fire…which, from what they could see, was no longer a raging inferno.

 

Eight boats now sat mostly filled in the water as Wyatt and Rufus stepped back away from the launch site. They had done it…he wasn’t sure how it had all managed to come together but it had.  He turned back to smile at Lucy and saw with horror that she wasn’t there. Once again, his heart was filled with absolute dread as he frantically approached the recessed area where he had last seen her.  “Lucy?” he hissed desperately.  Shouting, of course, was out of the question, considering they didn’t want to draw attention to the wharf. “Rufus,” he pleaded. “Help me!” 

 

Rufus stood staring blankly at him…completely at loss for answers  just as he was, until he turned once more to look towards the fire.  With an urgent tug on Wyatt’s sleeve, he pointed to a long dock, three berths down from where they currently were.  There, standing in the moonlight, was Lucy having an animated conversation with a tall man with dark hair. 

 

Shit. 

 

Garcia Flynn. 

 

In a rush of fury, Wyatt raced towards the pair.  That sonofabitch had taken everything from him in one timeline and he was not about to give him the chance to hurt Lucy again; not now that he had her back.  With a grunt of pure rage, Wyatt rushed down the dock, grabbed the asshole around the waist and brought him crashing down onto the sodden planks.  He heard Lucy give a cry of surprise and alarm, but his focus wasn’t on her right now, it was on the psychotic bastard he was currently beating the shit out of. He knew he was probably making quite the scene…which considering they were attempting to preserve a clandestine historical event, probably wasn’t the best idea.  However, Wyatt didn’t particularly care about that at the moment. After everything he had been through, after all that he had suffered…just the mere thought of this man being near enough to touch Lucy was enough to send him into a blind rage.  He would kill the sonofabitch right here and now….except…

 

“Wyatt!!!”  Lucy screamed

 

The sound of anger in her voice startled him, but not as much as the sight that met his eyes when he looked up to where she had been standing just a moment before.  The entire dock was empty. Looking around urgently to locate the sound of her voice, the sound of frantic splashing revealed to him, with alarm, that she had fallen into the water.  He dragged a bloodied and beaten Garcia Flynn to the edge of the pier and grimaced as he saw Lucy clutching desperately to the dock posts as she attempted to make her way back to shore.  Rufus, ever watchful, was already waist deep in the water coming to her aid. With his hand still gripping Garcia Flynn’s shirt collar, Wyatt hoisted the man up in an attempt to apprehend him…only to realize with horror that it wasn’t Garcia Flynn at all. 

 

He stood there gaping at the man who looked absolutely frightened as Wyatt slowly removed his hands from his shirt.  “Oh…” Wyatt mumbled stupidly, “I’m…I’m sorry…I thought you were someone else.”  Lucy, meanwhile, scrambled gracelessly onto the shore, her heavy, water-laden skirts causing her to falter as she attempted to pull them and herself out of the briny water.  With an indignant huff she straightened herself up and limped towards him on the dock.  At first, Wyatt thought she had twisted her ankle in her fall but upon inspection he realized that she had merely lost a shoe.  Her head however was bleeding freely and Wyatt felt more than a pang of guilt as he looked into her livid face, “I….I’m sorry…Lucy, I thought it was Flynn.”

 

Lucy gave him a steely glare as she gestured to the man who was looking almost as shocked as Wyatt was…although quite a bit more put out.  “This, is Abraham Whipple…leader of this expedition…and a **very important man**.” she gritted out meaningfully.   

 

Wyatt swallowed hard as he nodded his head in apology towards Abraham Whipple, the revolutionary hero, who was now settling himself into a boat filled with curious onlookers.  Wyatt looked back at Lucy who was already hobbling her way back down the dock towards Rufus, shaking her head in utter frustration. 

 

Shit.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, let me apologize for the long delay in updating this. I have been desperately trying to keep my posts no longer than a week apart, but life happened. 
> 
> Fall is a very busy time of year for us here and it has been an endless stream of festivals, fairs, parades and concerts. So again, apologies for those of you who have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for an update. 
> 
> Secondly, I just want to say how much I appreciate every single one of you readers. I know I say it ALL the time and I probably sound like a broken record, but I'm totally sincere when I tell you that I started writing this fic to get an idea out of my head, and it has turned into something that I write for you. 
> 
> That being said, I do love hearing back from you. It really brightens my day and makes me see this fic through your eyes, which really does help me as I develop the next chapters. 
> 
> I hope this was worth the wait....I'm VERY excited for the next chapter....take that as you will. It won't be the last one...but it's gearing up to be a fun one. 
> 
> thank again for your readership!


	31. Chapter 31

With a deafening roar, the LifeBoat materialized back into the laboratories of Mason Industries. Soaked and seething with anger, Lucy limped her way down the metal staircase and marched off into medical, Wyatt’s coat haphazardly draped over her shoulders in his desperate attempt to make up for yet another massive screw up.  He sat with his head in his hands as Rufus turned in his pilot chair to give him a look of pitying bewilderment. 

 

“You know, I’m beginning to wonder how the hell _other_ you ever managed to get Lucy to marry him.”

 

“Shut up, Rufus.” Wyatt muttered miserably as he slowly unbuckled his harness and eased his way out of the time machine.  He couldn’t be angry at Rufus…hell, he was wondering the same damn thing…but why was this so hard?  After all that he had managed to screw up since the moment they had gotten back from Vegas, he had finally felt like he and Lucy might be getting somewhere.  They had gone on a date…of sorts…and they had tried to talk…hell, he had almost kissed her…and she looked very much like she was willing to kiss him back…until Rufus burst through the damn door… 

 

Maybe he was a little pissed at Rufus after all.      

 

With a despondent sigh, he thumped his way down the stairs, dejected and depressed, coming to a halt in front of Agent Christopher who met him with her arms crossed and a look of complete bewilderment on her face.  “What happened?” 

 

Too ashamed to admit what he had done, Wyatt groaned at the question as Rufus cleared his throat and stepped forward to explain, in the least accusatory way as possible, what had happened between Wyatt, Lucy and Abraham Whipple.  Wyatt didn’t need Rufus to sugar coat anything.  He had screwed up…again.  He had beaten the shit out of a Revolutionary War Hero and nearly drowned Lucy in the process.  The shocked look on Agent Christopher’s face was enough for him to know that even from an outsider’s perspective this was bad.  Debriefing with her while anxious for Lucy was pure torture…but Wyatt knew that he was probably the last person she would be wanting to see right now. 

 

True enough, Lucy was sitting in the freezing exam room in nothing but a thin hospital gown, absolutely furious with one Wyatt Logan.  She was no longer curious as to how he might have gotten those bruises on his face. After the last few hours, she had seen enough to convince her that Wyatt hadn’t been the victim of some vicious, unprovoked attack.  Rather, he had probably run headlong into the fray, unconcerned about who or what he might hurt in the process.  It still didn’t explain his lack of sleep or his gaunt appearance, but her head hurt too much to try to figure out that mystery.    

 

Her wet 18th century garments were a discarded sodden pile of rags in the far corner of the room and the warm sticky blood that had now matted in her drying hair both served as painful and mortifying reminders of the mission to save the _Gaspee_ Affair.  To think that Wyatt had beaten the living daylights out of one of the most decorated naval commanders of the Revolutionary War…her face flushed with second-hand embarrassment, even now, almost 250 years later.  As angry as she was with him for tackling the poor man who was kind enough to actually speak with her and listen to her concerns about a tipped of Lt. Dudingston, she was grateful he hadn’t been even more drastic and shot the man from afar.   

 

Yes, Garcia Flynn was dangerous.  Yes, he had tried to murder them countless times.  But Wyatt had always shown a level of restraint that had both surprised and impressed her.  When they had come face to face with him in 1780, for example, he had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to join forces with the man.  Granted, that temporary truce didn’t last so long or fare too well, particularly for her…but still, Wyatt had gone against orders and had shown restraint when he could have just killed the man right then and there.

 

So why now was he tackling unassuming and unsuspecting gentleman just because they happened to share Garcia Flynn’s build?  The Wyatt she knew would have cautiously approached, gun drawn, until he was sure there was a definite threat.  This Wyatt had barreled down that dock so fast, it had caused Lucy to jump backwards in alarm and tumble right off the pier.  She raised a shaking hand to her gaping wound, feeling the gooey matted knots of her blood-soaked hair.  She could not understand why Wyatt had done that.  She had only been gone a few short minutes, she was in no obvious danger…and she was having a pleasant conversation.  Whether he believed the man was Flynn or not, her body language should have been enough to assure him that she was in no way feeling threatened or distressed. 

 

She had managed to take a quick shower in the stall located in the corner of the room…convenient considering she had been sopping wet when she arrived and had no desire to leave a water trail all the way to the locker rooms.  Her initial examination had indicated that she was going to need stitches and so here she was, head pounding, body aching, temper flaring and waiting impatiently to get sewn up so that she could get the hell away from all of this and maybe salvage the rest of the night with a drink or two…or three with Dave Baumgardner.   

 

She almost felt guilty about that, after nearly kissing Wyatt an hour or so ago, but once again she was faced with the deepening enigma of Wyatt’s convoluted and contradicting behavior.  Just yesterday he had come to her home in the middle of the night, had told her wanted to wait until she had recovered to admit that he was planning on stealing the LifeBoat to save Jessica.  It had been a devastating blow to her heart…knowing that no matter how much he seemed to care for her, he was willing to sacrifice ever seeing her again just so he could bring his wife back from the grave.  But today, he was hugging her, and gazing at her and brushing his lips against hers….it didn’t make any sense.  He had to be looking for some kind of emotional and physical comfort to help him through this disappointment, but Lucy cared too much about him to risk her heart and to take advantage of his vulnerability.  Yes, she had had that moment of weakness, but she wouldn’t…she couldn’t make that mistake again.  Their entire relationship depended on it. 

 

Shivering slightly, she eased herself off the exam table and pulled on Wyatt’s 18thcentury coat that she had draped haphazardly on a chair.   At least, she considered with a sigh, he had thought to give her this.  The wool fabric was itchy, but as she wrapped herself up in its warmth she was grateful that Wyatt had offered it to her on their trek back to the LifeBoat.  It wasn’t a downy blanket, but it was a sufficient defense against the never-ceasing flow of cold air blasting through the vent positioned just above her head. She picked up her phone from the pile of clothes Jiya had procured from her locker and brought up her text screen. She smiled slightly as she read the response Bam Bam had sent in regards to her injury. 

 

_Ouch.  Well, that earns you dinner.  How about it?_

 

Dinner was most certainly crossing over into date territory, but right now she couldn’t bring herself to care.  She _was_ hungry…while Wyatt had eaten the stew at the tavern, she had hardly touched hers, feeling far too awkward to fully enjoy eating a meal with Wyatt while pretending to be his wife. She paced the room, her mind lost in an innumerable amount of confusing thoughts as she attempted to sort out her feelings.  She was angry at him, yes.  But she was also concerned.  Wyatt was not acting like himself, and had admittedly not eaten or slept in days.  Yet she had seen him just the day before, and while he looked frantic, he didn’t look anything like he did now; worn, broken, and somewhat haggard.  Throw in the reckless fights and she was at a complete loss of what to think.  He had suffered such a disappointing blow and the physical and emotional toll it had taken on him was painfully obvious.  She wanted to be there for him…but right now, she just wanted to relax and not think about Wyatt, Noah…any of it.  Drinks and/or dinner with Bam Bam would be the perfect cap off to a not so perfect day…not necessarily because of the company, but because it would be a chance to really unwind and not be forced into awkward conversations with a fiancé she didn’t know or uncomfortable situations with a man she probably knew too well.   In a huff of frustration, she shoved her hands into the coat pockets and startled a bit when they brushed against what felt like paper and bit of cool metal. Confused, she pulled out her hand to examine the contents. 

 

A folded piece of paper lay in her palm and while it piqued her curiosity, it was nothing compared to the sight that lay just underneath it; two delicate rings...apparently, Jessica’s. Who else could they belong to? Lucy let out a soft sob as she realized that Wyatt was still carrying his wife’s wedding bands with him…had probably taken them along to wherever he had gone on his desperate mission in the hopes that he would be able to give them back to her when he saved her.  She wondered if he had always done this…just in case.  She remembered how, before their second mission, she had shown them all a picture of Amy, who was now gone…the only memory of her preserved in the tiny locket Lucy always wore around her neck.  Wyatt must have decided to do that same thing with these…his memories of Jessica. 

 

She felt odd holding them in her hands...feeling like so much of an intruder, as she had felt once before.  No matter how much the voice in her head urged her to put them right back where she had found them, however, she discovered that she could not bring herself to do it.  The ring, itself, was something to behold.  She had hated the monstrosity that Noah had given her, but this ring…was different…it was so essentially Wyatt.  It was a traditional, vintage, square cut ring…something wonderfully old-fashioned and delicate.  Its simplicity was elegant and unassuming.  Mindlessly slipping the folded paper back into the pocket she picked up the rings and held them up by her fingertips, marveling at the exquisite detail work along the band and noted how well they had been taken care of given that Jessica had been gone for so long. 

 

Feeling a bit bold…if not completely brazen, she slipped the rings onto her finger just to see what such a refined piece of jewelry would look like on her own hand.  She gasped in surprise when both the wedding band and its bejeweled counterpart slid easily past her knuckles and settled perfectly onto her finger.  So used to the weight of the rock that Noah had laden her with, these rings were anything but cumbersome and she couldn’t help but delight in the way they looked on her hand.      

 

So lost in her admiration of the rings, she almost leapt out of her skin when the door to the exam room flew open with a crash.  The medical team stepped inside with a cart laden with antiseptic, anesthesia, and sutures. Lying back down on the cool table, Lucy raised her arms above her head as they tenderly checked her bruised ribs for any breaks, given her tumble off the dock.  Once satisfied that she was not suffering from any cracked ribs, they moved onto her head.  Feeling the stinging pain of the antiseptic as they cleaned her open and oozing wound, Lucy winced as the cold liquid burned upon contact with her injury. With a slight pinch she noted the fiery heat yet deadening feel of the numbing agent as they prepped her for stitches. She had just felt the pressure of them working to close up her wound when the door to her room eased open.

 

“Oh…sorry.” Wyatt muttered as the entire medical team ceased their work and turned to face him. 

 

Lucy lifted her head slightly at the sight of him and breathed out, “It’s fine, Wyatt.  Come on in.”

 

Shame-faced he stood off to the side watching with concern as the medical team finished up their work. Minutes later, gloves were discarded, hands were washed and Lucy sat up with a grimace as Wyatt tentatively approached her with his head still hanging down.  “Lucy…I’m so sorry.  Are…are you gonna be okay?”

 

“Yes…I’m going to be fine, Wyatt.” Lucy sighed in exasperation.  “But this is like the third time you’ve had to apologize tonight.” she said with a derisive laugh. 

 

Wyatt clenched his eyes shut, “I know…and I’m sorry about that. 

 

Lucy pursed her lips together as the frustration she had been feeling towards him bubbled its way to the surface. “I don’t want you to be sorry.” Lucy spat out as she hopped down off the table and yanked at her clothes, “I want you to be honest with me.” She let out a stifled sob as she continued in a quavering voice, “To know that you all lied to me about those missions…why?  Why did you do it?  What terrible thing happened that couldn’t tell me the truth?”

 

_You died._

 

Wyatt wanted to blurt it out…but he knew the shock of that statement would require something of a lead up. They needed to talk…they needed time together where distractions wouldn’t plague them at every turn.  His hesitation, however, was interpreted as reluctance and Lucy shook her head and stomped to the far side of the room.  The rattle of the privacy curtain rang in the air as she stepped behind it, changing back into her clothes.  Huffing angrily, she gritted out, “I just don’t understand, after everything we’ve been through together, why you can’t just tell me the truth.” 

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt pleaded, “you don’t understand.  This isn’t about not being honest with you…this is….

 

“Complicated?” Lucy asked in irritation.  “I don’t know what’s so complicated about telling the truth.  I mean, weren’t you the one who got so angry because I didn’t tell you about Flynn and that journal?”  Wyatt clenched his eyes shut as she continued her argument, “You didn’t even speak to me until you were forced to in 1754.  So you tell me, Wyatt” Lucy’s muffled voice rang out as she pulled her sweater over her head, “why can’t I expect the same honesty from you that you demanded from me?”

 

The curtains rattled back once more while she tugged her sweater into place, shaking out her hair as Wyatt stood in the center of the room his head hanging low, “Lucy,” he said in a voice filled with emotion, “you’re right…you do deserve the truth…all of it.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers and Lucy was shaken by the fierce look of conviction she saw there.  Wyatt took a step towards her and brushed away a strand of hair from her face as he murmured softly, “No one lied to you about those missions…you just don’t remember them.” 

 

Confused, she looked into his face, which suddenly seemed very close to hers.  Once more she felt herself in danger of being swept away by the force of emotion that seemed to swirl around Wyatt nowadays.  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lucy said in an almost breathless whisper.

 

Wyatt tentatively cupped her face in his hand as tears pooled in his eyes.  Lucy’s brow furrowed in his concern for him as he gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, “You don’t remember them because these past three weeks Rufus and I were...”

 

“Where’s the invalid?” Bam Bam unwelcome voice came calling from the still open door causing them both to jump apart with a gasp.  Wyatt let out a breathy curse as he turned away from Lucy with a grimace only to see with horror that Bam Bam was dressed in a suit and tie, holding a bouquet of roses for their apparent “non-date.”  Lucy smiled weakly at him, realizing with one look at Wyatt, that his timing couldn’t have been worse. 

 

“Are those for me?” Lucy asked with a flush, awkwardly stepping around Wyatt to approach a beaming Dave Baumgardner. 

 

“Absolument!” Bam Bam exclaimed handing her the bouquet with a flourish.  Wyatt gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes, wishing now, more than ever that he could kick Dave Baumgardner’s ass. 

 

Lucy looked at Bam Bam and then down at her own clothes, “I feel like I’m a bit under dressed.”

 

“Yeah…I thought it was just drinks?” Wyatt chirped up, annoyed. 

 

“Ah…yes…it was just drinks, but then Lucy here, earned herself a full-on dinner date given that she got this nasty bump on her head.”  He winked at Lucy with a smirk, “I did tell you I know how to treat a lady.”

 

“Isn’t it a bit late for dinner?” Wyatt asked with scathing coolness. 

 

Bam Bam chuckled, “It’s a Friday night, Wyatt!” He shook his head in amusement and smiled at Lucy, “Shouldn’t be surprised, though, coming from him…this guy always left the bar at 9:30 on the dot.”

 

“Well, when you’ve got PT at 5:00 in the morning…” Wyatt murmured to himself…not because he was being exceedingly quiet, it’s just that the other two in the room didn’t seem to remember that he was even there.  

 

Lucy was offering Bam Bam a shy smile in return for the kiss he had planted on her hand as he murmured French phrases to her, bemoaning her newly acquired stitches.  The whole scene filled Wyatt with so much regret he thought his heart might just break in two.  He had caused her injury and Bam Bam, being the charming asshole that he was, had used it to his advantage.  Technically speaking, he supposed, Bam Bam wasn’t an asshole…being gentlemanly and charming certainly didn’t merit that sort of moniker…but given that he was now sweeping Lucy, the woman Wyatt had risked everything to save, off of her feet, he thought that in his mind, at least, Dave Baumgardner was almost as big an asshole as Garcia Flynn. 

 

Unable to stomach the sight of Bam Bam fawning all over Lucy any longer, Wyatt was just about to slink out of the room, when Lucy cleared her throat and looked down at her jeans and oversized sweater with a frown, “Dinner sounds great, but…really…maybe we should just do drinks…I don’t have anything here to change into.”

 

Wyatt breathed out a sigh of relief, thinking that perhaps Lucy wasn’t quite so keen on this plan of Bam Bam’s after all, but he should have known better than to underestimate Dave Baumgardner.  “That’s not a problem.” Bam Bam said unconcernedly, “we can swing by your place on the way to our reservation…we have plenty of time.”

 

Lucy looked back at him in surprise, “You already have reservations?”

 

Of course he already had reservations, thought Wyatt miserably as he rolled his eyes at Bam Bam’s response of “Bien sur que oui!”

 

Lucy nodded pleasantly at him, but with one sideways glance at a dejected looking Wyatt she frowned a bit before responding, “Okay…um…that sounds great. Let me just…can you give us a minute?” Lucy asked him tentatively.  

 

Bam Bam looked between Lucy and Wyatt with a curious glance and shrugged, “Sure…I’ll just be outside here.”

 

As the door shut behind him, Lucy turned to Wyatt with a sympathetic frown, “I’m so sorry…I didn’t think he was going to show up so soon.”  Wyatt pursed his lips as he felt the burning sting of a knife being driven into his chest.  “What was it you were going to tell me about you and Rufus?”

 

Wyatt furrowed his brow and clenched his eyelids closed, fighting the raging storm that was brewing behind them.  Taking a steadying breath, he opened his eyes to see hers staring at him in expectant anticipation.  The almost childlike innocence of her face, the blissful ignorance of all that had occurred in his three weeks, gazing up at him in fascinated curiosity was almost enough to render him speechless.

 

Almost. 

 

Feeling the knife drive itself deeper into his heart, he swallowed hard and muttered mechanically, “You’re going to be late for your date.” 

 

Whether it was the sadness in Wyatt’s face that arrested her or the flat monotone of his voice, Lucy stayed right where she was, an arm’s length away from him.  It would be so easy for them both to pick up right where they left off in 1772 before Rufus had burst through the door.  But, Lucy remembered with a jolt, she wasn’t allowing herself to fall prey to another moment of weakness.  Not now.  Not while Wyatt was so obviously vulnerable.  She shifted slightly as she assured him with a hopeful nod, “We’ll talk later, okay?”

 

Wyatt indistinctly bobbed his head in resigned agreement as she began backing towards the door away from him, away from them…until her eyes fell upon his 18th century jacket. “Oh…before I forget.” she cried as she made a long stride over to the chair where she had discarded it upon changing into her own clothes. Tugging it up with shaking hands, it was hardly any surprise when her quaking fingers fumbled the weighted coat causing it to slip out of her grip and fall in a rumpled mound at Wyatt’s feet.  Reaching down for the jacket just as Wyatt crouched down to pick it up, Lucy saw with horror the wedding rings…Jessica’s wedding rings that still were still gracing her finger.  Any hope she had had of her shameless faux pas escaping his notice was dashed to pieces when he froze suddenly at the sight of her outstretched hand.  Neither of them moved for what felt like an eternity; Wyatt, filled with too much emotion at the sight to do more than gape, Lucy, too filled with the unimaginable shame that would accompany anyone else in such an awkward circumstance.  To be caught, red-handed wearing the rings that belonged to his dead wife?  What on Earth would he think of her?  As if in answer to that silent query, Wyatt’s eyes darted up to meet hers with a curious look of dazzling intensity.  She could feel the heat and power of his gaze, but she couldn’t bear to look at him. As quickly as her trembling fingers would allow, she wrenched the rings off and tucked them back into the coat pocket where they had hitherto been safely stowed.  Muttering how sorry she was, her face flushed with absolute shame, she scrambled back to her feet and bolted for the door. 

 

She was almost through it, almost safely beyond the reach of his accusing stare, when his voice, broken and quavering called after in desperation, “Lucy… wait!”

 

She froze in her tracks but she couldn’t turn around to face at him.  How could she?  If Lucy had felt guilty about posing as his better half on missions, it was nothing to how she felt now.  Mortification couldn’t even cover the depth of her embarrassment and humiliation, knowing that the counterpart to those rings she dared put on her own finger was firmly situated on Wyatt’s.  This was more than an intrusion, this was akin to blasphemy.  She had made a mockery of the vows he had made to the woman he loved by allowing herself to pretend with the very symbols that represented his love and devotion to her.  The wife he had just failed to save, the wife who was his lightning bolt, the wife who had caused him to risk everything just to get her back.   How could she ever look him in the eye again?  With a shaky breath she sobbed, “I’m so sorry, Wyatt…I should not have done that. They were just in the coat pocket and I slipped them on…I didn’t mean anything by it.” She scoffed, “I don’t even know why I did it…it was stupid.”

 

 “Lucy,” Wyatt said gently as he approached her and tugged at her elbow, “Please…don’t be upset…I’m not mad.”

 

“They were your wife’s...weren’t they?” she asked quietly still not turning to face him.

 

“Yes,” Wyatt admitted truthfully. “They belonged to my wife.”  Wyatt wanted to tell her they belonged to her…but that, just like telling her she had died would be too big a bombshell to drop without some sort of proper lead in.  He doubted she would even believe him…why would she?  In this timeline, the Wyatt she knew had just stolen the LifeBoat to save Jessica…of course, she would assume they belonged to _that_ wife.  He tugged gently on her arm willing her to turn around and face him…as he pleaded softly, “Lucy, you…you have to understand something about those rings…”

 

Lucy’s head dropped again in disgrace as she pulled open the door and wrenched away her arm, “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.” she sobbed softly as a tear made its quick retreat down the side of her face. 

 

Everything within him was screaming that he should pull her back into his arms, claiming her with a kiss that would at once let her know the depth of his true feelings for her and that she, not Jessica, was first in his heart and mind.  But as the door swung open to reveal a waiting, smiling Bam Bam, he was once again struck with the cold hard truth that in this timeline he had taken her for granted, had wasted so much time…and now, as he watched the two of them walk away, side by side, he felt with a pang that she might never know how much he truly loved her. 

   

Slowly, Wyatt collected his coat and made his way to the locker room, taking care to remove the priceless rings and the photos that he now refused to leave behind on any mission. They were precious memories for him…so precious that he never wanted to risk losing them to a timeline shift.  It was the only thing he had left of those few days of happiness, the only evidence in his possession that once upon a time he and Lucy had been happily married, that they had been on the verge of parenthood…before the universe and Garcia Flynn ripped it all away.  He had been so close to telling her everything, so close to confessing every excruciating detail of his last three weeks, but once again they were interrupted. 

 

Damn Bam Bam and his piss poor timing. 

 

The shower did nothing to wash away the gnawing regret that plagued him as he tried to force himself to think of anything but what Bam Bam and Lucy were doing on their “non-date” that now included dinner.  Just from the little he saw of their interaction in that exam room, he knew Dave Baumgardner would sweep her right off her feet with fancy restaurants and grand gestures. He knew how Bam Bam operated, he had seen him in action before, and Wyatt had always been amazed that no matter the personality, he was able to find some way to charm the hell out of anyone who crossed his path.  Turning drinks into dinner, Wyatt knew, was typical Bam Bam.  Taking a casual get together and turning it into something more…that was his M.O., particularly when he could spin it so artfully as he had done, by telling the person on the receiving end of his charm that they had earned the extra attention.  Not that Lucy didn’t deserve the world and more…but with Bam Bam?  Wyatt slammed the door to his locker in frustration as he attempted to come to grips with the fact that yes, a non-date with drinks had turned into a full-fledged date with dinner.  He prayed to God it wouldn’t include anything else…hugs, kisses…or otherwise.  Bam Bam was a damn charmer after all…a few drinks…a few French phrases and…well, it would probably go off a hell of a lot better than say…Wyatt with his coat sleeve stuck in a bowl of stew.  Who was he kidding?  Rufus was right…there was no way in hell somebody like Lucy would ever choose him over somebody far more refined and gentlemanly like Bam Bam. 

 

Wyatt sank down on the bench, holding his head in his hands, cursing himself for every lost opportunity he had with Lucy.  He should have told her how he felt after 1934.  He should’ve stopped being such a damn coward and just told her that the kiss had meant something to him.  He should’ve told her how sick with worry he had been for her after 1780.  He should’ve vowed to never let her go after finding her in that damn furnace in 1893. 

 

“Hey man, you okay?” Rufus’ voice echoed in the tiled interior of the locker room as he stood watching Wyatt from the doorway.  “Thought I better come check to make sure you weren’t trying to drown yourself in the shower.”

 

Wyatt straightened up with a grimace, attempting but failing to appear unaffected by the night’s events. “Nah…I’m coming.” He said with a resigned sigh as he tucked the photo away into his wallet. 

 

Rufus plopped down on the bench next to him and slapped him on the back, “Listen, you’ve had a hell of a week…I’ve had a hell of a week.  Let’s go out and have a few drinks” he reasoned, “then tomorrow, you can call Lucy and you guys can have a nice, long chat.”

 

Wyatt let out a derisive laugh, “Yeah…if she doesn’t hit it off with Bam Bam first.”

 

“She’s not gonna hit it off with Bam Bam.” Rufus said with a confident shake of his head, standing up with a gusto that caused Wyatt to flinch in surprise. 

 

“What makes you so sure?” Wyatt asked in a voice filled with doubt.

 

“Because it’s Lucy…and it’s Bam Bam.”  Rufus said as if that were the only two arguments that needed to made in the case. Wyatt, however, looked unconvinced, so Rufus continued, “Do you remember how annoyed Lucy was with Bam Bam in the other timeline?  She couldn’t stand the guy.”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Yeah…but that doesn’t mean anything now.”

 

“I don’t give a damn about what timeline we’re talking about, Wyatt.” Rufus argued gently as he crossed his arms and looked down at the Delta Force soldier, “Lucy is still Lucy…and Bam Bam is still Bam Bam…and he annoyed the hell out of her.”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “I hate to disagree with you man, I really do…but in this timeline, I think I’m the one who is annoying the hell out of her.” 

 

Rufus nodded his head reluctant agreement, “That may be so, but Lucy isn’t the type of woman who gets carried away by all that nonsense Bam Bam does.”  Wyatt shook his head doubtfully as Rufus continued to press the issue, “Take her engagement to Noah…”

 

Wyatt’s eyes quickly darted to Rufus’, “What about it?”

 

“Well, you know as well as I do she was more than a little freaked out about the idea of being engaged to a man she had never met before.”  Rufus offered.

 

“Yeah, but she was still engaged to him, Rufus.” Wyatt sighed as he pushed himself off the bench. “She didn’t break it off right away.”

 

“But that’s exactly my point, Wyatt.” Rufus argued as he pointed at Wyatt’s chest.  “The man gave her a rock the size of Rhode Island, drove her around in that fancy car of his, the dude probably showered her with flowers and chocolate…but Lucy felt nothing for the guy.”

 

“I don’t get your point.” Wyatt shrugged.  “Noah isn’t Bam Bam…she chose to go out with him…Noah was just sort of there.”

 

“But Wyatt…if Noah, the guy she was engaged to, couldn’t turn her head with all that stuff, do you really think Bam Bam can?” Wyatt shrugged which made Rufus huff out in exasperation, “You cannot tell me that Lucy isn’t the same in every timeline.  You may not have seen it, but I sure as hell did…the way she looked at you then, is the same way she looks at you now.”  Wyatt furrowed his brow, hardly daring to believe Rufus’ words.  “Lucy is a kind person, a “not wanting to rock the boat and upset anyone,” kind of person.  She didn’t break it off with Noah because…I don’t know…she felt a weird kind of obligation to the guy.  She probably only agreed to drinks with Bam Bam because he asked her…and you seemed okay with it.”  He gave Wyatt a meaningful nod, “She’s not in love with the guy, not by a long shot.”

 

“So…you think that Lucy only agreed to go out with Bam Bam because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings? Wyatt asked cynically. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

 

“I’m telling you that’s all this is, man.  I’d bet my _Hamilton_ tickets on it…and you know how much I love that show.”

 

Wyatt felt the tightening in his chest loosen slightly.  He wasn’t entirely convinced, he was still depressed as hell, but knowing that Rufus had faith that this wasn’t the end somehow made the thought of Lucy on a date with Bam Bam less horrible. 

 

“So..what do you say? You wanna go out for that drink?” Rufus asked with a smile. 

 

Wyatt frowned as he thought about his options.  He could go home to his apartment, alone, and inevitably drown himself in a bottle of whiskey as he attempted to distract himself from thinking too much about Lucy and Bam Bam on their date.  Or…he could go out with Rufus and hopefully have an enjoyable evening with the only person in the world who knew what the hell he was going through.  He nodded slowly as he answered unenthusiastically, “Sure…why not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay - this chapter is the first half of what I ended up writing for Chapter 31. It was a MONSTER of a chapter (11K words or 21 pages long) so I have split it into two parts. 
> 
> We're getting closer to the end of this thing...so those of you still reading - thanks for hanging in there!!!


	32. Chapter 32

One drink at the bar, however, turned into several…for Wyatt, anyway.  Seeing nothing but happy couples shuffling in and out of the establishment, holding hands, giggling, and stealing kisses had put Wyatt in mind of Lucy and Bam Bam again and it made him absolutely sick.  Perched on a couple of barstools in an unfamiliar pub, Wyatt and Rufus sat side by side…Rufus turned to face the action surrounding them, Wyatt, facing nothing but the bar.

 

Leaning back on his bar stool, elbows propped upon the bar top, Rufus tilted his head towards Wyatt, “Dude, are you sure you don’t want some nachos or some hot wings or something?” he asked with concern. “You probably shouldn’t drink so much when you really haven’t had much to eat.”

 

“I’m fine.” Wyatt garbled…though it was clear he was anything but fine.  In fact, he looked a particular shade of miserable.  With a morose frown cemented on his face, he propped up his head with one hand while holding his whiskey in the other.  His index finger drew lazy circles over the rim of his glass and he hardly spared a moment’s glace at any one or anything except the amber liquid swirling inside.  That tumbler full of distilled spirits was at once his saving grace and his poison…and only it had his full and undivided attention.  The alcohol would numb the pain for a little while, but even as far gone as he was in the way of inebriation, Wyatt knew, deep down, that he would be regretting this binge come tomorrow morning.

 

Rufus cast him a sympathetic look, “You just gotta tell her, Wyatt.” he offered,  “She’ll understand.  Hell, she knows more than any of us about timeline changes.”  Wyatt grunted as he downed the rest of his whiskey, the mind-numbing effects already clearly at work as he sloppily waved for another round. Rufus quirked an eyebrow at him, “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” he exclaimed, “I thought you were just trying to unwind?  I didn’t know you were planning on getting shit-faced.”

 

Wyatt merely offered him a lazy smile as he turned, once more, to his re-filled tumbler.

 

The bar was miraculously quiet and nearly empty…a rare treat for a Friday night in Palo Alto.  Their usual joint was hosting some sort of bachelor party and so that brought them here, to this smaller place about a block away from their usual haunt.  Wyatt appreciated the peace that this overlooked pub offered in the way of drowning his sorrows.  Typically, he would do it in the privacy of his own home, but as his apartment depressed the hell out of him right now, he was more than happy to drink away the pain of seeing Bam Bam and Lucy walk off for their date together, in public.

 

 _Non-date_ he mentally corrected himself after a few laborious attempts to get his brain to recall that specific description of whatever the hell it was Bam Bam and Lucy were doing.  At least, he thought with a hefty sigh, whatever they were doing, they weren’t doing it here.

 

“I’m telling you, man…you don’t have anything to worry about.”  Rufus said wisely as he leaned over the bar to try to catch Wyatt’s eye. “If Lucy was interested in Bam Bam she wouldn’t have insisted that their little get together tonight wasn’t a date.”

 

Wyatt responded to Rufus’ comment by taking another sip of whiskey.  He didn’t need his friend to spin what had happened this evening. Wyatt had stepped in it so many times since resetting the timeline; from his fight with Noah, to his almost knocking Lucy unconscious by barreling into one of the leaders of the American Revolution, Wyatt had most certainly given her every reason to not give him a second glance.  Bam Bam, however, had swooped in with a bouquet of roses, some French, and an invitation to dinner.  His charm would disarm any reservations she might have had against him…Wyatt, meanwhile, had been about as charming as bull in a china closet. 

 

Besides, Wyatt had known his Delta Force buddy for years, and in that time, he had seen him successfully ensnare even the most practiced of hard-to-get women.  It was just his gift.  He had a knack for making everyone feel at ease and comfortable, even in the most tense and awkward of situations.  There was an honesty about him that people were attracted to…hell, even Wyatt, who had vowed to remain emotionally unattached and socially isolated, had found himself being dragged to bars and parties by his insistent and well-meaning friend.  He had no doubt that Lucy, like so many other women that Bam Bam had wooed before, would find him just as appealing.   

 

Rufus, meanwhile, was doing everything in his power to try to lift Wyatt’s spirits.  Apart from attempting to convince him that Lucy would have no interest in Bam Bam, he attempted to lure Wyatt into a game of darts…insisting that it would be freaking hilarious to see Wyatt attempt his notorious perfect aim in his current state.  When that suggestion fell on deaf ears, Rufus tried to get Wyatt to join him in a game of pool, but again, Wyatt shrugged him off, uninterested in anything but the drink in his hand. 

 

The clink of the door and a sudden gasp from Rufus, however, made him loll his head over his shoulder to see what it was his friend was gawking at.  He should’ve known better than to challenge the damn universe by thanking it earlier for the peace and quiet, because there, standing in the doorway, were Lucy and Bam Bam, apparently fresh off their dinner date and looking, it seemed, for a night cap.  Wyatt gaped at Lucy who was clad in the same black dress she had worn the last time they were at a bar.  She looked stunning…and seeing the two of them, smiling, dressed to nines, and unnervingly close to one another had Wyatt ready to purge every last ounce of alcohol that he had poured into his knotted and anxious stomach.  Lucy’s silvery laugh rang through the place as Bam Bam delivered the punchline of whatever tale he had been weaving for her. Unaware that they were being observed, the two of them made their way over to a corner booth, all smiles and flushing slightly from the fit of laughter that had had them both still chuckling even as they sat down and ordered their drinks.

 

It was one thing to imagine Bam Bam and Lucy out on the town, but quite another to witness it in person. At least, in his head, Wyatt could allow himself to believe that Lucy wasn’t having a good time, that their date would be filled with awkward silences and frequent checks of her watch. Now, however, he was faced with the up-close and personal view of a happy, smiling Lucy looking much more at ease and carefree than he had ever seen her…in this timeline, anyway.  He couldn’t help but contrast her laughter and smiles here with the tense and apologetic demeanor she had displayed on their “date” in 1772.  If he had been a casual observer to both scenes, he would have to admit that this looked more like a real date than theirs had been.  The way they leaned into each other, the way Bam Bam muttered in her ear, the way Lucy’s eyes lit up in amusement at whatever the hell it was Bam Bam was saying to her.  Wyatt slammed his hand down on the counter in frustration as he huffed out, “Dammit.”

 

Rufus eyeballed Wyatt warily, “C’mon man, don’t…don’t let that upset you.  So she’s having a good time?” he shrugged, “It doesn’t mean anything.” Wyatt shook his head despondently and took another swig of whiskey, wishing to hell he had just gone straight home and faced the miserable confines of his lonely, empty apartment rather than have his missed opportunity rubbed in his face….at least that would have been less depressing.  Rufus, seeing that Wyatt was spiraling downward, patted his back in comfort, “I think we should probably call it a night, don’t you?”

 

Wyatt, however, had his eyes fixed on Lucy and Bam Bam, hardly flinching at Rufus’ continued assault on his back.  From over the top of his glass of whiskey, Wyatt observed how happy the two of them looked together.  So animated and interesting was their conversation, they had hardly taken their eyes from one another from the moment they waltzed through the door.   Wyatt sighed heavily as his heart seemed to rip apart at the sight, “Look at them, Rufus.” he muttered miserably.  “Just look at them.”

 

“Uh-huh…” Rufus said uncomfortably, “they look like two people…on a non-date.” he lied with a sideways glance towards an unconvinced and unheeding Wyatt.

 

“She’s so pretty, Rufus.” Wyatt slurred through a barrage of actual tears, “Isn’t she?  She’s so damn pretty.”

 

Rufus, now completely concerned for Wyatt and the scene he might make now that he was crying, tried to lighten the mood, “Yeah, Lucy is a freaking Aphrodite, man…but if you tell Jiya that I’m gonna have to kick your ass…preferably when you’re too damn drunk to kick mine.”

 

As a testament to how far gone Wyatt actually was, Rufus’s comment took him from sappy tears to a loud barking laugh in a matter of moments.  He slapped Rufus firmly on the back causing the pilot to stumble off of his barstool and onto the floor with a loud crash.  The disturbance brought their heretofore unobserved presence to Bam Bam and Lucy’s attention and immediately the air in the room seemed to change. Bam Bam grinned broadly and waved them both over, while Lucy’s smile immediately faded as she tensed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

 

Scrambling to his feet, Rufus returned Bam Bam’s wave, muttering out of the side of his mouth to Wyatt, “Shit. They’ve seen us.  Don’t worry man, I’ve got this…you just head over to the door.”  Thinking only of being near her, however, Wyatt slid off his barstool and began to shuffle his way over towards their table, until Rufus caught him by the arm and hissed in his ear, “What the hell are you doing? Don’t’ you remember what happened the last time we were at a bar with Bam Bam and Lucy?”

 

Wyatt carelessly jerked his arm out of Rufus’ grip and gave him an overdramatic wink, “Yeah…that was a good night for me, not so much for Bam Bam.”

 

Rufus suddenly realizing Wyatt’s meaning shook his head frantically at him, “Dude, this isn’t the same Lucy…as in she has no idea what the hell has been going on for the past three weeks.”  Wyatt gave him a lopsided smile and continued to make his way towards the table as Rufus hissed after him, “I mean it, man…this is not a good idea.  You’re gonna make things a hell of a lot worse!”

 

But his warnings went unheeded as Wyatt slid into the booth next to Lucy who was now looking down at her hands in nervous agitation.  She was still beyond humiliated that Wyatt had caught her wearing Jessica’s wedding rings and while she had passed a relatively pleasant evening with Bam Bam, the memory of that stunned look on Wyatt’s face when he saw them on her finger had made her cringe more than once during dinner.  That, coupled with the almost kiss the two of them shared under the guise that they were husband and wife, was enough to make her wish that the floor would open up and swallow her whole.  She had stupidly believed that going out for a drink would help relieve her earlier mortification, had almost thought she had succeeded when Bam Bam began relating hilarious tales of the antics that he and Wyatt would get into on missions with Delta Force…but being suddenly and unexpectedly faced with Wyatt, so soon after what had to be the most embarrassing moment of her life, had her wishing that she had just called it an evening and taken a cab home. 

 

Rufus cast a wary eye at Wyatt as he slid in beside him, giving a tense nod to both Bam Bam and Lucy as he settled into the booth.  “How’s it going, you two?”

 

“Just fantastic!” Bam Bam announced happily.  “Man, am I ever glad she told that Noah character to take a hike.”  He winked at her, “I knew she was pretty damn amazing from what you had told me, Wyatt, but I didn’t know she wrote books!”

 

Lucy flushed even more as she shrugged her shoulders slightly, brushing off the compliment like she did the first-time Wyatt had ever laid eyes on her.  Lucy Preston was more than “just a teacher” as she had so carelessly referred to herself…even if _she_ didn’t like to admit it. Hell, maybe she didn’t even believe it was true, but Wyatt knew otherwise.  He raised his glass to Bam Bam, while keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Lucy’s profile and acknowledged, “She’s world-class.”

 

That one uttered line was enough to bring her eyes up to Wyatt’s for half a moment, he was smiling at her with such sincerity, that it almost took her breath away, considering how she had sullied the memory of his late wife by unfeelingly and brazenly donning her weddings as if they were a part of some sort of costume.  With a look that she hoped communicated the depth of her remorse, she offered him a weak smile in return before the sound of a ringing phone drew their attention to Bam Bam’s pocket.  He pulled it out with a grimace and checked the screen, “Aw damn…I’m sorry…I’ve got to take this.”  He motioned to Rufus and Wyatt, “Can you two clowns stick around for a bit so I won’t be guilty of leaving a lady unattended in a dive like this?”     

 

Hardly upset by the turn of events, Wyatt offered him a lazy thumbs up and quirked his lip in a smirk, taking another swig of whiskey in triumphant satisfaction as Bam Bam disappeared through the door. Rufus shook his head as he muttered under his breath, “Oh no…I have a bad feeling about this.”

 

No sooner had the door swung shut behind Bam Bam, then the barmaid approached their table with their drink order. Lucy took her white wine almost greedily, sipping it with shaking hands as Wyatt surveyed her with a sad kind of smirk. He hated that she looked so tense around him, hated that he had made such an ass out of himself at Stanford and in Providence, hated that his actions had caused her to get stitches. At least, he thought with a hefty sigh, she had got them because he was trying to protect her.  That was, at least, something...it wasn’t like Boston. As if trying to convince Lucy of the same fact, even though somewhere in his muddled mind he knew it wasn’t going to compute, he leaned towards her and slurred “Bam Bam left you all alone to get a drink.”

 

Lucy gave Wyatt a sideways glance and sipped her wine indifferently, “Actually, he left to make a phone call.” she corrected as Wyatt snorted with laughter at her statement. She flinched away from him as some of his whiskey sloshed out of his glass and onto the table. She eyed him with concern, obviously distressed to see him in such an uncharacteristic state, “How…how many of those have you had?” she asked him with alarm.

 

“Too many.” Rufus bellowed loudly with a nod of his head.  Wyatt, still laughing, waved his arm carelessly at Rufus who seized it and began trying to tug him out of the booth, “I don’t mean to leave you alone, Lucy…but in this case, I think it’s for the best.  C’mon Wyatt…let’s get you home before you do something you’re gonna regret.”

 

Wyatt, however, remained steadfastly immoveable in his position next to Lucy, tugging his arm back from Rufus’ grip with ease.  He was still chuckling as he explained with a slur, “No…he left you for a drink in Boston.”

 

Lucy had known Wyatt for more than a year, and in that time, she had seen various sides of his personality. His unbridled joy at meeting Ian Fleming, the despair from the guilt that weighed upon his conscience over his wife’s death, his sheer determination to bring his wife’s killer to justice, his unparalleled bravery at the Alamo…but she had never seen him drunk. Sure, they had gone out for drinks before, and she was fairly certain that the first time she had seen him at Mason Industries he was _not quite_ sober, but he was nowhere near _this_ drunk…and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him in this state.  She bent herself forward past a giggling Wyatt to look at Rufus who was rubbing his hands on his temples in clear frustration, “What’s he talking about?” Lucy asked with a brow furrowed in confusion.

 

Rufus shook his head, “I…I don’t know…he’s…he’s crazy…crazy drunk.  Don’t worry about it, Lucy.”  He began sliding out of the booth tugging Wyatt’s arm again, “C’mon Wyatt, let’s go before you say something really nuts.”

 

“No.” Wyatt blurted out in anger wrenching his arm out of Rufus’ grip once more.  “I’m not leaving Lucy alone.”  He leaned forward to her, a serious frown plastered on his face as whispered harshly, “I never would have left you alone to get a drink.”

 

Fighting the urge to laugh at his deadpan expression, Lucy nodded at him seriously, attempting but failing, to hide the smile that betrayed her amusement at seeing Wyatt so completely wasted.  “I’m sure you wouldn’t have.” Lucy agreed with a wink towards Rufus who now had both of his hands covering his face. 

 

But Lucy’s smile soon turned to a look of real concern when Wyatt began to cry despondently, grasping chaotically at her hand as he spluttered, “But I did leave you.  I shouldn’t have gone to San Diego, Lucy.” he moaned pitifully through his tears, “I’m so sorry.  I’m so sorry I left you and Rufus with Bam Bam to get hurt.”

 

The look of pure regret on Wyatt’s face just about shattered Lucy’s heart.  She rubbed his arm in comfort, as she looked around him to Rufus who was taking a drink of the beer he had brought to the table with him. With a touch of annoyance, she glared once more at Rufus demanding with a huff, “Rufus, what is he talking about?”

 

Swallowing hard, Rufus smacked his lips together, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.  Look at him.  He’s drunk off his ass.”

 

“Is…is he talking about your leg?” she asked.

 

Rufus was spared giving her an answer by Wyatt who drew her attention back to him as he raked his free hand over her hair, cushioning the injured side of her head with his palm as he sighed heavily, “But I hurt you this time.”

 

“This?” Lucy said with a relieved chuckle as she grasped his hand that was caressing the side of her face. “Is that what you’re so worked up about?  Wyatt, it’s fine.” Lucy assured him.  “I’m fine…you can just forget about it, okay?”

 

“Forget about what?” Bam Bam asked as he slid back into the table.

 

Wyatt dropped his hand from Lucy’s face and sat up straighter glaring across the table at his Delta Force friend.   Lucy, however, had turned to face Bam Bam with a welcoming grin as he settled back into his seat and took a drink from his mug of beer. “Oh, just the bump on my head.” Lucy offered with an unconcerned shrug.

 

Bam Bam nodded at her with a smile, “Oh yeah, I forgot to thank you, Wyatt.  That bump on her head scored me a dinner date…I doubt she would have agreed to it otherwise.” he joked with a teasing grin.  “Feel free to knock her off piers any old time you like.”

 

If Bam Bam was hoping to make Wyatt smile with that kind “offer” he was sorely mistaken.  Wyatt was seething and Rufus, spotting the danger, tugged on Wyatt’s shirt and muttered, “Leave it alone, man…just leave it alone.”

 

Clearly not noticing the look of pure disgust on Wyatt’s face, Bam Bam casually slapped his hands together in eager anticipation, “So, what else did I miss?  You guys have a nice chat while I was gone?”

 

Wyatt’s eyes narrowed as he stared across the table at Dave Baumgardner.  His hand was still holding Lucy’s as he sneered, “You.  You left her alone to get a damn drink.”

 

Bam Bam gave a good-natured chuckle, “No, I went to make a phone call.” He suddenly straightened up as he looked at Lucy’s almost empty wine glass. “Did you want another drink, Lucy?” But before she could answer Bam Bam was already sliding out of the booth and making his way up to the bar, his eagerness to please over-ruling any assurances from Lucy that he didn’t need to trouble himself. 

 

Rufus, beyond ready to leave this increasingly uncomfortable situation behind, pulled out his wallet and threw a couple of $10.00 bills on the table.  “We should probably get going…that should cover our tab.”  He tapped Wyatt on the shoulder, “You can pay me back later…ya know, when you’re sober enough.”  Wyatt made to pull out his wallet to make good on his debt now, but Rufus waved it away, “Nah…man…it’s fine…but you better be glad Lucy is here, otherwise I’d take you for all that you’re worth.”  Lucy giggled as Rufus, once again, eased his way to the edge of the booth, “C’mon Wyatt, let’s let Lucy enjoy the rest of her evening.”

 

But Wyatt wasn’t listening to Rufus.  He was staring at the bills on the table, remembering some not so distant conversation. He got a lazy smile on his face as he muttered, “Alexander Hamilton.”

 

Lucy quirked her eyebrow at him, an odd expression on her face as she asked, “What about Alexander Hamilton?”

 

“Bam Bam likes Hamilton.” Wyatt said with a winning grin. 

 

“Are you being serious right now, Wyatt?” Rufus spat out in exasperation.  “Are we really doing this again?”

 

“The Founding Father or the musical?” Lucy asked with piqued curiosity.

 

“Oh shit…here we go…” muttered Rufus. 

 

But Wyatt and Lucy paid no mind to Rufus’ outburst.  Lucy was staring at Wyatt with a mixture of amusement and fascination as he leaned forward with a satisfied sneer and simply announced, “Both.”  The revelation made Lucy frown slightly, something that was not lost on Wyatt as he continued with a self-important tone, “I personally think he’s an asshole.”

 

“Yeah, well right now I’m thinking the same thing about you…so…” Rufus muttered under his breath. 

 

With a serious look on his face, Wyatt nodded at Lucy, “I know you don’t like Hamilton either, Lucy.”

 

“Oh really?” Lucy said with a disbelieving gasp, “And how would you know that?”  She finally managed to wrench her hand out of his and crossed her arms as she surveyed Wyatt, daring him to come up with an explanation for his sudden insight to her personal tastes regarding historical figures. 

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Because I know you.” he said simply.  He gestured behind him towards the bar, “Bam Bam doesn’t know you…Noah didn’t know you…but I do.”  The smirk on Lucy’s face faded somewhat again as he continued, “You think _1776_ is better than _Hamilton_.”

 

“And I think we established how very wrong she was about that.” Rufus said with a huff as he tried to tug Wyatt out of the booth.

 

“I don’t remember ever discussing such a thing with either one of you.” Lucy said with a shrug. “What?  Did you look at my Spotify playlist or something?”

 

“Please tell me you don’t listen to that shit on Spotify.” Rufus breathed out in exasperation. 

 

Lucy gaped at him, completely affronted by his tone, “I beg your pardon, Rufus… _1776_ happens to one of the most celebrated historical musical dramas ever performed on stage or screen.  Maybe you didn’t realize, but it won the…”

 

“Tony.” Rufus finished for her in annoyance, “yeah, I know all about that travesty.  Must have been an off-year.”

 

Lucy glared at him as Bam Bam returned to the table with her refreshed glass of wine.  “Oh I see…I’m guessing you’re firmly planted in the _Hamilton_ camp?  She scoffed irritably, “Why am I not surprised?”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rufus countered angrily.

 

Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but Bam Bam interrupted, _“Hamilton?_   Ah...man, I love that musical!”  Lucy cast a sideways glance at Wyatt who was smirking with pure satisfaction.

 

He leaned forward on the table to Rufus as they both began rapping, “Guns and ships and so the balance shifts.  We’ll rendezvous with Rochambeau, consolidate their gifts…”

 

“Enough!” Lucy exclaimed loudly as she slapped her hand down on the table.  She looked at Rufus, “Didn’t you say you were leaving?”

 

“Uh-huh.” Rufus nodded, “Didn’t want to sit here and listen to you hating on _Hamilton_ anyway. C’mon, Wyatt let’s go.”

 

Bam Bam, however, turned to Lucy with a shocked expression, “You don’t like _Hamilton?”_ he gasped in disbelief,“How is that even possible?  I thought you liked history?”

 

Lucy sighed in exasperation as Wyatt continued to smirk at the scene unfolding before him, “ _That_ is not history…they gloss over quite a few things about that man.”  Lucy shook her head, “You know what?  It doesn’t matter...like whatever you want.” She took a sip of her wine and turned to see the smug look on Wyatt’s face, “And what are you smiling at?  I didn’t know you all talked musical theater in your off time…how did you know I preferred _1776_ to _Hamilton?”_

Wyatt shrugged indifferently, “I told you.  I know you, Lucy.”

 

“Is that so?” Lucy said half-annoyed, half amused as she set down her wine glass and leaned against the table to look at him squarely.  “I call that a lucky guess.” 

 

Wyatt shook his head, “Not a lucky guess.  I know lots of things about you.”

 

Sensing the danger once more, Rufus announced, “I think we’ve crashed their evening for long enough, don’t you?  Let’s GO, Wyatt.” 

 

Lucy, however, was intrigued by Wyatt’s admission…particularly since he could barely keep his head from lolling to the side as he sat there smirking back at her. “Okay, Mr. Tough Guy, enlighten us…what sort of things do you know about me?”

 

“I know you can’t cook.” Wyatt responded immediately with a serious nod.

 

Lucy scoffed, “Everybody knows that, Wyatt.”

 

Undaunted, Wyatt continued, “Do they know you don’t even know how to make toast?”

 

The table erupted in laughter, Rufus’ being more of a nervous chuckle than an actual laugh. Bam Bam turned to Lucy with tears in his eyes, “You don’t know how to make toast?”

 

Lucy shrugged, “I think that there are a lot of people out there who have issues with their toasters…it’s not just me.”  She was trying to play off the revelation as a joke, but the truth of the matter was, that particular tidbit unnerved her slightly.  As far as she could remember, she had never once made toast for Wyatt and while she had admitted on more than one occasion of her lack of culinary skills, she had never gone into specifics.  Fascinated by Wyatt’s sudden insight into her life, she decided to test him further, “What else?”

 

“Um…you probably shouldn’t be encouraging this.” Rufus said weakly, “Remember, he’s drunk off his ass.”

 

Wyatt studied her for a while, his brow furrowed in muddled thought as the entire table waited patiently for him to respond to her challenge.  Respond he did with a clearing of his throat and a look of pure smugness as he whispered harshly, “I know you don’t like spaghetti and meatballs.”

 

“Wrong!” Lucy said with a victorious chuckle, feeling a bit relieved that Wyatt’s sudden insight was nothing more than the musings and assumptions of a very drunk man.  “I happen to love spaghetti and meatballs.” she corrected him, “I even had some tonight.” she added with a nod towards Bam Bam.

 

“She’s right, man…I saw it with my own eyes.” Dave Baumgardner said with a quirked lip, “Too bad champ…better luck next time.” 

 

Lucy chuckled at Wyatt and took a sip of her wine as he sat back nonchalantly and exclaimed, “Nope. Not always.  Not when you’re pregnant.”

 

Choking on her drink, Lucy covered her mouth with a napkin as Rufus slid down the booth, moaning with his head in his hands, “Oh, this is so bad.”

 

Lucy was still coughing on her drink when Bam Bam gently pulled the wine glass away from her, “Wait, you’re pregnant?”

 

“No!” Lucy almost shouted, looking absolutely insulted by the accusation. 

 

Wyatt shook his head knowingly, “Not anymore…but she was.” 

 

Lucy’s mouth hung open in shock, staring daggers at Wyatt as if daring him to make another such allegation against her in an attempt to be funny.  With a voice shaking with fury she gritted out, “That’s not something to joke about, Wyatt.  I can’t even believe you would say such a thing.”

 

Rufus once again attempted to defuse the situation by exclaiming loudly, “He wouldn’t…not in his right mind, anyway.  He’s drunk off his ass, remember?”  Rufus got out of the booth and began yanking on Wyatt’s arm, groaning as he did so, “I told you we needed to get out of here before you did something stupid.”

 

Wyatt yanked his arm right back out of Rufus’s hold and pulled out his wallet.  Thinking at first  that Wyatt was going to leave his share of the tab, Rufus let out a heavy sigh of relief only to let out a curse when he saw that instead of money, Wyatt pulled out a grainy photo and threw it on top of the $10 bills already lying the middle of the table.  Rufus made a frantic dive for it, but Bam Bam and his Delta Force reflexes were too quick, he picked it up with a smirk and unfolded it with a doubtful sneer.  

 

Lucy, however, wasn’t looking at anyone but Wyatt.  She was seething with anger as she spat out, “Wow. You are really drunk.”  With a huff and a shake of her head she exclaimed, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before….and you know what?” she leaned forward and whispered harshly, “It’s not a good look.”

 

“I’ve seen you like this before.” Wyatt countered with a gentle grin.

 

Unlike the moment in Providence where his soft smile had lessened her anger at him, this time it only served to heighten it.  How could he look at her like that after what he had just said?    She rounded on him in a huff, “You’ve seen me what?  Angry?” she spat out, “You’re right, you have seen me angry before, Wyatt…and you should know by now that …”

 

“No.” Wyatt interrupted seriously, leaning towards her intimately, “In this dress.”

 

Lucy drew back away from him, breathing heavily, with a stunned look on her face, “You’ve never seen me in this dress before, Wyatt.”

 

Lucy was completely unnerved now…there was no way Wyatt had ever seen her in this get up.  The last time she had worn it was well before she had ever met him, and it had hung in the back of her closet since then. 

 

He brushed his hand across her cheek gently as he smiled sadly at her, “Oh yes I have, ma’am.” He muttered softly as he nestled his cheek against hers, his lips grazing her jaw, as he murmured next to her ear, “It’s a _very_ good look…and you look just as beautiful in it as you do out of it.”  Lucy’s eyes widened in shock and anger as she pushed Wyatt roughly away from her, staring back at him in horrified disbelief.

 

“OKAY.” Rufus said as he slammed his hands down on the table and pushed himself out of the booth, “That’s our cue.”  Using every ounce of his strength, he pulled Wyatt out of the booth after him…a smart move since Lucy looked like she was ready to murder him, “I told you this was a bad idea.”  Snatching for the ultrasound photo out of Bam Bam’s hand, Rufus grabbed onto the top of it, but Bam Bam yanked it away, causing the photo to rip.  Rufus took the corner he managed to snag and shoved it at Wyatt frantically as he waved to the table, “Good night, all!  Enjoy the rest of your evening!”

 

Bam Bam chuckled nervously as leaned towards Lucy muttering, “De quoi parle-t-il? Étiez-vous deux amoureux?” 

 

The sound of French phrases being muttered towards Lucy, whether he understood them or not, was enough to enrage an already emotionally compromised Wyatt.  Stumbling angrily to the other side of the table, he gripped Bam Bam by the collar and dragged him out of the booth, growling “Didn’t I tell you not to talk to her in French anymore?”

 

Bam Bam, hardly the type to judge his friend for his drunken outburst, threw up his hands in surrender and tried to deescalate the situation, “Whoa…take it easy, old friend. I think you had enough for one night.” He nodded at Rufus, “How about we call you a cab and you can go home and sleep it off?”

 

Wyatt, however, wasn’t looking to defuse the situation at all, rather he was remembering that he had wanted and yet failed to kick Bam Bam’s ass a host of times in the past few weeks.  The problem for Wyatt, however, was that he was in no condition to begin a fight with a fellow Delta Force operative, so when he made a swing, Bam Bam easily dodged the attack, restrained his arms and marched him out of the bar.  Waving awkwardly at a flushed and teary-eyed Lucy, Rufus muttered an apology and quickly followed Bam Bam and Wyatt outside.

 

Lucy watched them leave in a state of shocked anger and embarrassment.  She could hardly move or breathe as she watched Dave Baumgardner through the dingy window struggling to put an uncooperative Wyatt into a waiting cab. With hands shaking in absolute fury, Lucy slowly reached for her wine glass.  As she did so, her eyes fell upon the grainy ultrasound photo that Wyatt had flung to the table moments before his heated outburst. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she lifted it from the glossy table top and studied it.  Though there was a chunk missing from the left corner, even with her untrained eye, she could make out the developing form of a tiny human; there was definitely a small facial profile in that bean-like image. However, as her eyes scanned the rest of the photograph she held in her trembling fingers, she gasped in horrified astonishment as she read the remaining words printed just over the tiny fetus:

 

_n, Lucy.  GA: 9w5d_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wyatt. 
> 
> This, as many of you know, was the second half of the last chapter. I was up until the wee hours last night trying to iron out the details for Chapter 33 so that I could post this one for you. I'm going to be busy again next week, so I didn't want to leave you all with this cliffhanger for too long.


	33. Chapter 33

He was alive. 

 

That was the first vague perception Wyatt’s befuddled mind could latch onto as a tangible fact when he slowly found his way back to consciousness.  He was sprawled, face-down, on something soft…his bed… _God, how he hoped it was his bed_ …but at the moment, he was fighting a losing battle with his eyes and could therefore, not fully ascertain that as an absolute fact.  When he finally managed to crack open one eye, he groaned at the blinding, piercing light that was pouring through the open window in his bedroom, causing his head to feel like it would literally split in two.  If that wasn’t enough to convince him that he had overindulged the night before, the acrid taste in his mouth, coupled with his pounding head and aching body certainly did.

 

Regret did not even come close to how he was feeling at the moment.   

 

By the brightness of the sunlight filtering through the window, Wyatt would hazard a guess that it was already mid-morning…possibly later.  He could tell from his outstretched arm that he was still fully dressed, but he had no idea how he had managed to get home.  Using what felt like the last of his strength, he rolled over onto his back, immediately lamenting the decision to do so.  The room was spinning, his left arm, which had apparently been pinned under him during the night, was now on fire with the sensation of a thousand pin pricks.  Slowly, laboriously, he flexed his fingers and shook out his muscles in an attempt to make the strange, painful yet numb-like feeling go away.  The change in position had also made him aware that the pillow resting underneath his head was unsettlingly damp. Slowly, bringing a hand up to his head, his fingers blindly sought out the source of that dampness and found, much to his relief, a rag…moistened and folded neatly…apparently left for his comfort. 

 

Huh.

 

He laid in bed for a good, long while holding a pillow over his face in an attempt to block out the offending light that was radiating throughout his sun-drenched room.  He desperately racked his brain for answers as to how he found himself so completely and utterly hung over.  He had gone out with Rufus, that much he remembered…but beyond that were broken images and conversations.  Rufus had asked him to play darts?  Was that right?  But for some reason he was pretty sure that he had turned him down.  

 

Chasing the fleeting images flitting through his muddled brain, Wyatt stumbled upon a fuzzy memory of Lucy.  He could still smell her perfume, he felt the silken softness of her hair in his hands, he heard the phantom sound of her voice…had he talked to Lucy?  At Mason, yes.  She was wearing her wedding rings…at least, he thought she was…maybe that was a dream.  No…that was definitely not a dream.  He remembered watching her walk away with Bam Bam. 

 

Which now explained the hangover. 

 

But why did it seem to him that he had talked to her later?  His dreams had been filled by the sound of her voice.  He had heard her laugh, he was sure of it…at some point in the evening. But he wasn’t the one who made her laugh…she was angry at him for some reason. He clenched his eyes shut trying to get a grasp on what was real.  She had been near enough for him to touch.  He had felt her skin against his cheek, could smell her perfume mixed with a hint of white wine…yes, he remembered nuzzling against her…but why would he have done that in front of Bam Bam?  How the hell did he even see them on their date when he had gone out for drinks with Rufus?

 

Rufus…who had told him it was a bad idea.

 

Oh shit.

 

With a horrified gasp followed by a guttural groan he sat up in bed.  The room spun sickeningly as he tenderly cradled his pounding head in his hands.  His entire body felt like it weighed a literal ton, everything hurt…and not just in the physical sense.  Flashes of the previous evening materialized through the now open floodgates in his mind’s eye, each vision more horrifying than then next.  Yes…he had talked to Lucy.  What the hell had they talked about?  Money?   For some reason, he was remembering money…did she have to pay for his drinks?  Wyatt cringed at the thought.   Why could he not shake the feeling that she was angry with him?  He had no Earthly idea, but the memory of her livid face and the phantom feel of hands pushing him away was enough to convince him that whatever the hell he had said and done last night, could not have been good.   

 

Allowing himself a few more minutes to stop the world from spinning, he slowly lifted his head out of his hands and saw that next to him, on the night stand, was a large bowl.  Never knowing himself to be that thoughtful about his own well-being in a drunken state, Wyatt surmised that somebody must have done it for him.   

 

But who?

 

Whoever had done this had taken great pains to make sure Wyatt was comfortable.  His shoes and socks had been removed and tucked neatly away in the corner, far away enough from his bed that they wouldn’t be a tripping hazard if he had found it necessary to make a mad dash for the bathroom. The rag too, indicated that somebody had cared enough to at least try to soothe the effects that his over-consumption would undoubtedly produce.  Slowly, he raised himself to stand, using a hand to brace himself on the wall until the world evened out again, when he heard a loud crash outside his bedroom door. Suddenly realizing that he was not alone in his apartment and what that could mean, his heart skipped a beat as he yanked open his bedroom door and slid into his living room, one name on his lips “Lu...”

 

Wyatt’s face, however, dropped at the sight of a certain time machine pilot standing in his Star Wars pajamas picking up a plate full of waffles from the floor. “…fus” he breathed out as he stared at his unexpected…and if he were being completely honest, unwelcome guest…unwelcome only because he wasn’t Lucy.  Wyatt tried to hide his disappointment by rubbing the back of his neck roughly with his hand, grimacing at the painful knots he found there, “Um…what are you doing here, man?”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows at him as he crossed over to the kitchen to set down the plate of waffles on the counter, “Let’s just say that after the fifth drunk dial, I decided to just get my ass over here and confiscate your damn phone.”  

 

“Oh shit.” Wyatt moaned as he sank down on the couch with his head in his hands, “Please tell me you’re the only one I called last night.” he muttered through his fingers. 

 

Rufus chuckled as he shook his head and picked up Wyatt’s phone, listing off the phone calls made in the middle of the night. “Rufus, Rufus, Lucy, Rufus, Lucy, Rufus, Rufus….why the hell did you call me more than her?  I wasn’t married to you!”   

 

“Ugh.” Wyatt moaned as he brought a throw pillow over his face. 

 

“Yeah…” Rufus said as he shook his head, “I told you should not drink that much whiskey on an empty stomach…I am genuinely impressed that you aren’t blowing chunks right now.”

 

“Tell me I didn’t act like as big an ass as I think I did last night.” Wyatt pleaded in muffled tones as he still held the pillow firmly over his face. 

 

Rufus let out another small chuckle as he poured Wyatt a cup of coffee, “I’m not gonna lie to ya, man. You were a pretty big ass…told Lucy you had seen her naked and everything.” 

 

“Oh my God.”’ Wyatt groaned as he slid down his couch.  “What am I gonna do, Rufus?”   

 

Rufus set down the coffee mug in front of Wyatt with a flourish, “You’re gonna have to tell her the truth.”

 

Wyatt gaped at him, “About what?  About _us_?”

 

Rufus shrugged at him, “Well…yeah.  I mean, why wouldn’t you?”

 

“I can’t tell her we were married, Rufus.”  Wyatt exclaimed in agitation as he ran his hands through his hair.  “It was bad enough for her to find out she was engaged to that jackass of a doctor…how the hell do you think she’s going to react when she finds out that we…that we…”

 

“Slept together?  That you actually _have_ seen her naked?” Rufus offered with raised eyebrows.

 

Wyatt groaned as he covered his face with his hands, “Oh God.”  Why did I have to go out to the bar last night?”   

  

Rufus sighed, “I tried to warn you but your stubborn drunk ass wouldn’t listen…I hate to say I told you so…”

 

“Then don’t.” Wyatt muttered miserably.

 

“BUT I TOLD YOU SO.” Rufus exclaimed loudly as he looked down at his friend lying prostrate on the couch.  

 

Wyatt groaned again as he sat back up from the couch, once again cradling his head in his hands, “So, what?  Did you come here to gloat?  Is that it?”

 

Rufus took a sip of his coffee and smacked his lips together, “No, I came here to put your drunken ass in bed where it belonged so I could get some damn sleep…your couch sucks by the way.” 

 

“How am I going to face her again, Rufus?” Wyatt moaned.

 

“I don’t know man, but you had better figure that out soon because she’s on her way over here.”  

 

“What?!”  Wyatt exclaimed as he sat bolt upright on the couch. “Dammit, Rufus…why?”

 

“Why?  Because it’s Lucy and she’s worried about you…and she’s pissed as hell…but mostly she’s worried about you.”

 

Wyatt breathed out a curse as he ran his hands through his hair again before pausing and darting his eyes to Rufus, “Wait a minute…how do you know that?  Did…did you actually talk to her last night…after…after all of…?”

 

Rufus nodded as he drank some more coffee, “Oh yeah…you’re not the only one who was hitting me with phone calls at 2 o’clock in the morning.”

 

Wyatt groaned again. Rufus was most definitely not a man known for his discretion.

 

“Yeah,” Rufus said with a nod of his head, “that woman is relentless…wouldn’t let me get off the damn phone until I told her what the hell was going on with you.”

 

“What did you tell her, Rufus?” Wyatt asked, fear mounting in his chest.

 

“Relax.” Rufus said soothingly, “I didn’t tell her a damn thing.”  Wyatt breathed out a sigh of relief, “But…I _might_ have accidentally mentioned the reason you didn’t go to the Boston Massacre.” Rufus muttered quickly.

 

“You what?” Wyatt snapped, “Did you tell her about Jessica?”

 

 “Hey!” Rufus countered angrily, “It was late, and your drunk ass was calling me on the other line…so I got a little frazzled okay?”

 

“What else?  What else did you tell her, Rufus?” Wyatt demanded.

 

“Nothing else…I swear!” Rufus exclaimed as Wyatt cast him a dubious look, “Okay…I might also have mentioned that we had to go back and fix a few things and now Jessica is dead again…but I didn’t tell her _why_ …I specifically told her she needed to hear _that_ from you.”

 

“What the hell, Rufus!?”

 

“Well, I’m sorry but you were the one who couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut last night.” Wyatt breathed out a curse as Rufus continued, “If you would have just listened to me to begin with, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

 

Wyatt muttered miserably and buried his face in his hands. 

 

Rufus drained his coffee mug and smacked his lips in satisfaction, “Welp, now that I know you’re not dead or dying, I’m headed out…Jiya and I are going to the Exploritorium today.” 

 

“No!” Wyatt hissed out as he leapt off the couch, “You can’t leave me here alone, what the hell am I going to say to her?”

 

“I don’t know, man. You were married to the woman, you should know all about getting back on her good side.”  Wyatt stared at him in horror as Rufus pursed his lips in thought looking up and down at a very disheveled Wyatt, “Yeah…you’re right…it’s probably not a good idea to mention that, huh?”

 

 It was most definitely not a good idea to mention that. 

 

Not right now, anyway.

 

Maybe in a few years…when the embarrassment of last night was far behind them.

 

Or never…that was good too.     

 

Rufus paused for a beat before slapping Wyatt on the back, “you’ll think of something.”  He wrenched open Wyatt’s apartment door and paused, “You should probably shower and change your clothes.” He turned to leave again, and then popped his head in once more and pointed to the newspaper clippings of Jessica’s murder that covered the wall, “And you should probably do something about that…because DAMN.” He gave Wyatt a meaningful stare, raised his hand in a wave, and slammed the door behind him. 

 

Panic.  Sheer and utter panic stole through Wyatt as he raced to hastily remove the newspaper clippings from the wall.  His hands filled with evidence of his years long obsession, he frantically stuffed the yellowing articles haphazardly into a shoe box and threw it in his closet. He wanted a fresh start, a new beginning...and that definitely could not happen if Lucy thought he was still pining over Jessica. No. He wanted Lucy to choose him not because she felt obligated because some other version of herself loved him, but because she did...or maybe could...hell, he would take her agreeing to one date at this point...which, if what Rufus said was true, would be a miracle in and of itself.   Stealing one quick glance in the mirror at his scruffy and hungover appearance, Wyatt wrenched open his bathroom door, praying that he had enough time to make himself look a little less like the drunken asshole she had seen the night before. 

 

 

******

Lucy sat in her car looking at Wyatt’s apartment building with a mixture of anger, apprehension and sadness.  After everything he had said and done the previous night, she, by all rights, should not be here.  She had been livid after he had been unceremoniously tossed out of the bar by Bam Bam…and then, to have to try to sit there and pretend that none of those things had been said, that all of… _that_ hadn’t happened, was impossible.  She thanked Bam Bam for a nice evening and took a cab back to her home…only to deal with more problems there.    

 

Lucy gave an exasperated sigh as she leaned her head back against the car seat.  She needed answers…or at least an opportunity to give Wyatt a piece of her mind…she wasn’t quite sure which one was a priority as both seemed to be battling their way to the forefront of her to do list.  She was exhausted.  Having just spent almost two weeks in the hospital battling pneumonia only to come home to Wyatt telling her he was stealing the Lifeboat and then everything else that had followed afterwards?  Last night was supposed to be her chance to unwind, to get all of the stress and anxiety out of her system…but instead, it had only served to make things worse.

 

So much worse.    

 

After everything that Wyatt had said and done, sleep had been out of the question…not just because of the storm that was brewing in her mind…but because Wyatt had called.  She had stupidly answered the first one…worried that something terrible might have happened to him on the way home.  Once assured by Wyatt that he was, in fact, in his apartment, she was forced to listen to him giggle uncontrollably as he admitted to calling and waking Rufus just minutes before.  Hanging up the phone in disgust, she had tossed it aside only to growl in frustration as Wyatt’s number flashed on her screen once more. She had let it go to voicemail, had no intention to even listen to it…but eventually curiosity had gotten the better of her.

 

With a heavy sigh, she pulled out her phone and made a few quick taps on the screen, holding it away from her as she played the message from Wyatt she had already committed to painful memory:

 

_“Lucy…Lucy…are you there? I’m so sorry.  I shouldn’t have tried to hit Bam Bam like that…but he knows how much I hate French…he can be such an asshole sometimes. Listen…listen to me Lucy…I know things have been so weird and I know I lied, and I know I hit people…Noah…and that guy…what was his name?  Whimple?  Ripple? Wimpy? (giggles)_

_I’m…I’m sorry Lucy…I know I’ve been an ass to you and to everybody…God…I’m so sorry.  I just miss my wife.  That’s all. I just miss my wife, Lucy.  Are you there?  Luuucy? Okay…goodnight Lucy.  I hope you feel better tomorrow.  I’m going to call Rufus again (giggles)._

      

As much as she hated to admit it, that voicemail took her from furious indignation to heartbroken sympathy.  Even now, listening to it for what felt like the hundredth time, she was still angry at him, but hearing him slur through his apology and explanation…even if it was punctuated by drunken giggles, made her heart ache.  He was obviously hurting…badly…and now she knew for certain that her assumptions hadn’t been far off. 

 

He was pining for Jessica. 

 

When she had first heard that voice mail in the wee hours of the morning, it had shaken her…mostly because she had felt partially responsible for his current state.  She had been wearing those damn rings, after all…and then there was the fact that he had just had to play make believe with her fresh off of his failed mission to save his actual wife.  The disappointment, obviously, had dealt a heavy blow.  Her own guilt weighed on her as she paced in her mother’s home trying to come to grips with everything that had happened since Wyatt literally crashed her mother’s party at Stanford.  Wyatt’s startling and alarming appearance, his demeanor, the revelation that they had lied about those missions….

 

No…not lied…Wyatt had told her that she just didn’t remember them.

 

Which could only mean…       

 

She hadn’t wanted to do it, but given all that had happened that evening, every odd statement, every strange occurrence that she couldn’t quite account for, she felt like she had no choice.  Knowing that sleep was impossible, she had picked up her phone and flipped through her contacts. She couldn’t talk to Wyatt…not in his current state…so she decided to call the only other person who would understand…the only person who knew exactly just what Wyatt had gone through. Offering an apologetic frown to the picture of Rufus that flashed upon her screen, she had let her finger descend on the Call button, and waited with bated breath as the pulsing sound of his ringing phone disturbed the still and peaceful quiet of her mother’s home.  As she suspected, he was more than a little put out…

 

 _“Not you too,”_ Rufus’ voice had groaned from the other end of the line.  _“I don’t know if either of you realize or even care, but I do need to sleep every once in a while.”_

“I’m so sorry, Rufus” Lucy apologized, “but I need to know…what the hell is going on?”

 

_“No.  HELL no, I am not getting involved in this mess.  I didn’t want to be involved before and I sure as hell am not getting involved now.”_

“Involved in what?” Lucy asked urgently, “Rufus, I don’t even know what to think.  These missions that you’ve all gone on without me, that for some reason don’t match up with what I know…”

 

Rufus yawned on the other end of the phone, _“Lucy, come on…it’s so late.  Do we really need to do this now?”_

 

“Wyatt said you didn’t lie…that I just don’t remember these missions.  Why don’t I remember them, Rufus?  Did something terrible happen? Something you can’t tell me?”

 

When Rufus didn’t respond for a while, Lucy had believed for one irritating moment that he had hung up on her before he cleared his throat and said with measure caution, _“Yeah, something terrible did happen, Lucy…but I’m not the one that needs to tell you about it, okay?”_

“Why not?”

She could hear him sigh heavily on the other line, _“Look, Lucy.  It’s late…just get some sleep and tomorrow you can talk to Wyatt.  He can tell you everything then.”_

 

“Do you honestly think I can sleep after everything that happened tonight?”  she spat out. 

 

 _“So, you’re gonna punish me because Wyatt got shit-faced drunk?  How is that fair?”_ Rufus complained. 

 

“Rufus!” Lucy gritted out. “Why does he look like he hasn’t eaten and slept in days?  Why is he carrying around an ultrasound with my name on it?”

 

Again, Rufus sighed in exasperation, _“I’m telling you, Wyatt is the one you need to talk to…not me.”_

“Fine…how did _you_ get hurt in Boston?  Why was Wyatt so upset about that?  

 

“ _Dammit, Lucy.”_ Rufus complained.  “ _It’s nothing you need to worry about, okay?  Shit…”_ Rufus muttered away from the receiver, “ _no Wyatt, I don’t want to talk to you, anymore.”_   Lucy could hear the tap of Rufus’s finger against the phone before he addressed her again with, _“Sorry, about that…I’ll talk you tomorrow, okay?.”_   

 

“I want to know what happened in Boston, Rufus.” Lucy demanded as Rufus groaned, “You can hardly expect me to believe that nothing happened when you two are skirting around this like you’re trying to hide something.  What happened to Wyatt?”

 

“ _Wyatt wasn’t even there,”_ Rufus spat out irritably, _“he was off in San Diego visiting Jessica…but I nearly died if that matters to you at all.”_

“What?!” Lucy gasped. The shock of that statement had caused her knees to buckle making her grateful that she was near a chair as she sat down overwhelmed by the unexpected revelation.  Wyatt _had_ said that he didn’t go to Boston.  She remembered that now…but at the time she thought he was just being cheeky.  Now, it seemed, he had been telling the truth…he hadn’t gone because he was with…Jessica.  But how? “Je…Jessica’s alive?” Lucy managed to squeak out in stunned disbelief.  

 

The silence that met her on the other end of the phone was deafening.  It felt like an eternity as she waited breathlessly for an answer to that question and when it finally came, she had almost wished she hadn’t asked it, _“No…not anymore.”_

Lucy’s heart wrenched at the thought of how completely devastated Wyatt must be.  No wonder he was acting like a man with nothing to lose…he had lost everything…again.  To save Jessica only to lose her?  To bring her back from the grave only to have her die again?  Suddenly his gaunt appearance, the sadness in his eyes, the drunken bender…made sense.  “What happened to her, Rufus?”  

 

_“Lucy, why don’t you just wait and talk to Wy…dammit, he’s calling me again!”_

“Don’t you dare hang up on me, Rufus Carlin…remember I saved your life in Chicago.” Lucy remonstrated. 

 

 _“Yeah, and I pulled you out of a damn furnace…we’re even.”_ Rufus sassed back

 

 _“_ I’m just going to keep calling you.” Lucy threatened. 

 

 _“I’ll turn off my damn phone.”_ Rufus countered.

 

 _“_ I will come to your house.” Lucy promised. 

 

 _“You wouldn’t dare.”_ Rufus stuttered. 

 

 _“_ Try me.” Lucy said with a finality and authority that made Rufus feel like he was being reprimanded by his mother. 

 

With a heavy sigh, Rufus relented, _“Fine. Wyatt saved Jessica but then everything went to hell and we had to go back and fix things and now she’s dead again, okay?  That is ALL I’m telling you.  Good-bye.”_

 

And with that final statement, he had hung up the phone…and sleep was most definitely out of the question. She paced in her room all night long, thinking over everything that had occurred since Wyatt had come to her home to tell her he was stealing the LifeBoat to save Jessica.  That had been just the day before, so if he had skipped out on a mission to the Boston Massacre to go see her…why did he steal the Lifeboat? If she was already alive, why did he need to save her?  What exactly did they need to fix and why did it affect Jessica?  Any further attempts to contact Rufus all ended up at his voicemail box, so she was forced to spend the rest of the night coming up with every possible, crazy scenario she could think of…all of them leading to more questions. 

 

Her frustrations during that long and sleepless night were finally addressed in the morning with a text message from Rufus:

 

_At Wyatt’s.  Come on over – I made waffles._

 

And that brought her here…sitting, staring…and inwardly battling herself over whether she should knock on his door, or turn around and forget the whole messy thing.  She was leaning towards the latter…still too angry and appalled by his behavior the previous night to make her want to see him face to face anytime soon.  But then she remembered his voice mail and the fact that no matter the circumstances, they were team mates, friends…and as such, they looked out for one another. She couldn’t blame him for his downward spiral…and she knew that if the roles were reversed, he would probably be the first one to help her through whatever problem she was facing.  He was, after all, the one person who supported her when Amy disappeared…the one person who vowed to help make it right.  And it was that more than anything, that caused Lucy to step outside of her car and march resolutely to Wyatt’s front door.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I found myself having to split a chapter. This one was just shy of 10K originally and while I would have LOVED to keep it intact...I really wanted to get you something posted before the weekend officially started since this next week is CRAZY busy and I've already left you hanging for about a week. I apologize for that...I knew this week was going to be busy, but on top of all of our other commitments, we got hit with the tummy bug and so that just added to everything else. 
> 
> There was SO much going on in this chapter and I actually rewrote the second half of this about five or six times. It went through so many revisions. I just wasn't happy with it...but it's at a good place now...I just need someone to look over it narrative wise (because I revised it so much) to make sure the narrative flows the way it's supposed to. Because I didn't want to leave you hanging any longer, I decided to just give you a little something to tide you over until I can get that other half checked. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I appreciate you all so much, especially when the weeks are long and hard like this one was. 
> 
> I know I left this at another cliffhanger and you all are probably gritting your teeth at me, but again....it wasn't intended to be so...I just didn't want to leave you hanging any longer without SOMETHING.


	34. Chapter 34

 

Wyatt had practically leapt into the shower, willing the fogginess in his brain to clear away before stumbling into his bedroom and changing into a clean t-shirt and a pair of jeans.  He had just finished slipping on a pair of socks when there was a soft, tentative, knock on his door. 

 

Lucy. 

 

She was here. The first time she had ever been to his apartment in this timeline…and yet to Wyatt, this was her home…where she belonged.  Feeling a mixture of exhilaration and apprehension, Wyatt wrenched open his apartment door to find Lucy standing awkwardly on the other side of it, staring back at him as if she thought that perhaps she had made a huge mistake in coming there.  “Hey.” Wyatt breathed out shakily.  

 

She startled suddenly at the softness of his voice and expression.  She had planned on coming here, demanding answers to all the lies, the half-truths and the nutty allegations of the night before.  Now, however, standing on his doorstep, she found herself shaken by his mussed, damp hair, his plain white t-shirt and his faded blue jeans.  Despite all of the missions they had gone on together, she had never seen him looking quite so casual…so oddly domestic.  She frowned in an attempt to ward off the feelings of endearment that had begun to creep their way into the forefront of her mind and jutted her chin at him sullenly as she responded to his greeting with a simple, “Hello.”

 

She could not allow her feelings for him to lessen the outrage that she felt last night.  She was furious with him…after the way he had acted in the bar, after the allegations he had made towards her about her being pregnant and….

 

Nope.  He was drunk.  There was no way he had ever seen her naked. 

 

She would have remembered something like that. 

 

And yet now, here he was…far from the drunken jackass she had seen the night before, gazing at her with a face etched in deep remorse.

 

Did he remember all that he had said and done last night?  Probably not.  But that didn’t excuse him…it still didn’t change the fact that he had said it…that he had humiliated her for the third time in one evening. 

 

Wyatt stood aside, hardly daring to breathe as he welcomed her in, feeling an odd sense of anticipation as she entered his apartment.  Odd, only in the sense that he knew damn well she wasn’t here for anything other than what would probably prove to be the ass chewing of a life time.  Wyatt, however, wasn’t focusing on that at the moment. Instead, he was remembering the last time they were home together, when she had burned their breakfast and he had planned on proposing all over again.  His heart ached at the sight of her tentatively making her way through the open door into what was once their home together.  As she brushed past him, looking around at the Spartan arrangments, she stopped suddenly and turned to him with anxious alarm, “I thought Rufus was here?” she asked nervously.

 

“He was…but he left.” Wyatt answered with a gulp, praying to God that she wouldn’t turn tail and run away. Not now that she was here…at home…with him. 

 

“Oh.” Lucy breathed out uncomfortably.  She stood in the middle of his apartment uncomfortably as if she had forgotten the whole reason she had come in the first place.  She fumbled with her bag, before finally setting it down on one of the bar stools.

 

“How…how’s your head?” Wyatt asked with concern as he craned his neck to get a look at her stitches. 

 

“It’s fine.” Lucy muttered as she raised her hand to her scar.  “It’s fine” she repeated again as she waved off Wyatt’s attempt to examine them.  

 

He stepped back away from her nervously and swallowed hard before raising a hand to cover his eyes, “Lucy…I’m…”

 

“Sorry?” she finished for him with a derisive laugh.  “Yeah, I’ve heard.”  Wyatt grimaced as he willed himself to look at her face.  He was expecting her eyes to be shining with anger, but was surprised to find there was no anger there.  Was she sad? Disappointed?  Typically, he could read Lucy like a book, but right now he was having a hell of a time discerning how she was feeling.  Whether she knew he was making an attempt to read her expression, or whether she wanted to bring him up to speed on her own accord, she pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and waved it as an answer, “Voice mail.”

 

Wyatt winced as he stammered, “Uh…um…my… _my_ voicemail?” 

 

She gave him a terse nod as she fidgeted awkwardly, “I’m guessing you don’t remember that?”

 

“No.” Wyatt said with shame-faced honesty. 

 

Studying him with narrowed eyes, she pursed her lips together and quickly tapped a few buttons on her phone, until Wyatt’s slurred voice broke the awkward silence that had filled the apartment.  Wyatt flushed and rubbed the back of his neck as his drunken apology seemed to echo, unendingly, off the walls of his apartment.  Each sentence uttered only increased his embarrassment further as the total measure of his intoxicated state hit him full force.  He had been completely and utterly wasted, had acted like an asshole, picked a fight with Bam Bam and ruined her evening.

 

Lucy watched him with a careful eye as the voicemail rang out, noticing with a pang of guilt that when the message revealed that he was missing his wife, Wyatt froze and swallowed uncomfortably as if trying to ward off the barrage of tears that she saw forming in his eyes.  She frowned, suddenly regretting that she had played the message at all and wished that she was, instead, a thousand miles away.  She knew she shared a part in his current state of distress for stupidly flaunting Jessica’s rings yesterday and now she felt like she had just essentially rubbed his nose in it.     

 

She sighed heavily as the voicemail concluded, placing the phone back in her pocket, fully prepared to apologize for being insensitive, when she looked up to find that Wyatt was smirking at her sheepishly.  He chuckled lightly and muttered, “So…I guess I _was_ an ass last night, huh?”

 

Taken completely aback by his abrupt change in demeanor, Lucy glared at him, “That doesn’t even begin to cover it, Wyatt.”

 

He raked a hand over his eyes, “Lucy, I’m sorry…Obviously, I picked a fight with Bam Bam.” he observed with a grimace, “I’m guessing that kind of ruined your date.”

 

“Oh, I don’t know” Lucy sighed, “I think you managed to do that _before_ you threw that punch.”

 

Once again, he was hit with a flurry of fuzzy memories, broken images, tidbits of conversations that were so muddled and confused in his still pounding head.  He clenched his eyes shut and confessed, “Lucy…I’m so sorry…I don’t know even know what I said and did last night…” 

 

She stood in the middle of his living room staring at him sullenly with her arms crossed in front of her chest.  Even angry, Wyatt thought she looked so damn beautiful and yes, her visit wasn’t under the best of circumstance, and yes, he had royally screwed up…but he was just so happy to have her here, he couldn’t bring himself to care.  All the anxiety that had preceded her visit had melted away with just the sight of her back where she belonged.  Well…almost all of the anxiety…he still had no idea how the hell he was going to fix this.  

 

“I just don’t know what to think right now, Wyatt.” Lucy sighed, “I mean, first it was Noah, then it was Abraham Whipple.  Then I find out you and Rufus have been hiding things from me…and then everything you said at the bar…” 

 

Wyatt groaned as he thought of all the stupid careless things he could have said to Lucy while plastered, knowing full well that he had at least told her he had seen her naked. He hung in his head in shame with a grumble, secretly vowing never to get that drunk again.

 

“What was that?” Lucy snapped.

 

Wyatt roughly rubbed his temples as he blindly stumbled into the kitchen “Headache” he muttered as he desperately searched his cabinets for a bottle of Tylenol.  He didn’t want to think about how he was going to explain _that_ tidbit away.  To suddenly discover that your platonic friendship with your co-worker wasn’t quite so platonic?  What the hell would that do to their relationship?  It would certainly make things more awkward between them, that was for damn sure…and as things already were awkward, well…he didn’t need any help in that department.

 

As he desperately searched his cabinets, he prayed to God she wouldn’t bring it up; that she would, instead, chock it all up to the whiskey.  He really wasn’t prepared to have a conversation about their one-sided sex life…not when his head felt like it was going to split open.  He could hear her pacing the floor impatiently behind him and he found himself feeling more and more uneasy with the prospect of facing the proverbial firing squad that was Lucy Preston’s questions.

 

_Where the hell was the Tylenol!?_

 

Finally spying a bottle above his sink, He wrenched it open and swallowed two pills, wincing as he did so. Lucy approached him with raised eyebrows, “Better?”

 

“Not yet…but I will be…hopefully.” Wyatt mumbled uncomfortably.  It was no use beating around the bush, waiting for the axe to fall.  He would have to come clean, but as he looked back at her, he found his resolve sinking fast under the heat of her penetrating stare. Maybe he didn’t need to tell her _everything_.  At least not now.  He would just convince her that last night was just a huge misunderstanding brought on by too much whiskey…and then, later…MUCH later, preferably after they had been married for a few years, they could talk about everything else.  He sighed heavily as they made their way back into the living room, “Lucy, listen…I’m really sorry if I ruined your date with anything I said that might have been…” he gulped, “…inappropriate.”

 

“You mean like when you told Bam Bam I was pregnant?” she spat out.

 

Shit.

 

Wyatt stared at her like a deer caught in headlights, panic rising in his chest.  Why the hell didn’t Rufus tell him he had dropped _that_ bombshell?  He swallowed hard and stammered, “I did…I did…what?”

 

Letting out a derisive snort, Lucy quickly made her way to her bag and after a frantic search, she pulled out the grainy ultrasound photo with shaking hands, “Does this jog your memory? What is this, Wyatt?  Is this some sort of sick joke?”

 

So much for blaming it on the whiskey.

 

With a look of absolute horror, Wyatt stared at the photo in her hand, unable to mutter a coherent word until Lucy shook it at him impatiently as she waited for his answer, “No! God…Lucy, no.” Wyatt exclaimed in a voice filled with emotion. 

 

He slowly reached out and took the photo she held in her trembling fingers with a pang of heartache and regret.  He had never meant for her to find out about this…had never planned on telling her about the child they almost had.  What purpose would it serve?  It was hard enough for him to live with the knowledge that that particular hope for the future had died with Lucy, but for her?  How could she even begin to wrap her mind around the idea that she… _they_ …had lost a child when he had lost her?  What would that do to her?  Would she mourn the loss of a child she never knew she was carrying?  Would should be completely unnerved by the idea that this ultrasound was evidence of another life…a life they were supposed to share together?  How could he lay that bombshell at her feet when in this timeline, they were merely co-workers and friends? 

 

Platonic friends at that. 

 

At least he hoped they were still friends.

 

Suddenly he felt very much as he imagined _his_ Lucy had felt when she was faced with the task of enlightening him about their imminent arrival.  _She_ had hesitated because of how he had reacted to revelation that they were married.  He had been so focused on Jessica and the “wrong hand” he had been dealt, he had acted like a complete and utter jackass.  He knew Lucy in any timeline was far too kind-hearted to balk at that knowledge in the same way he had, but after his performance over the last few days, including his theft of the LifeBoat to “save Jessica”, he wouldn’t blame her one bit if she did.   

 

As he looked down at the photo that had at once terrified him and had made him happier than he had ever been in his life, his heart ached for the wife who was dead and gone…and yet was here, standing just beyond his reach, very much alive.  He wanted her back.  He wanted them back.  He ran his fingers over the picture, his brow furrowed and a trembling frown on his face, “I didn’t mean for you to see this, Lucy.” he murmured softly.

 

“Obviously.” she spat back at him in anger.  “What is that…why do you have…why would you…” she hardly knew what she was asking.  She had stared at that ultrasound all night, her name…well, not _her_ name…but “Lucy” listed along the top…with a date from last week…when she was most certainly not pregnant.  She gasped out as tears of frustration began to spill onto her cheeks, “Why on Earth would you have something like this?  What the hell is going on?”

 

With tears in his own eyes, Wyatt turned away and faced the wall hardly daring to answer that question, but he knew he had to…he had been the drunken jackass who had given this to her, and so now he had to deal with consequences, whatever they were. “Lucy…I don’t even know where to begin.”

 

“How about you start by telling me the truth?” Lucy gritted out angrily.

 

Wyatt sank down on the couch with his head in his hands and groaned.  He had no desire to lead in this conversation with a pregnancy bombshell; his head hurt too much for that and he was pretty damn sure Lucy wouldn’t believe him if he tried. 

 

Lucy stared down at him, shaking her head.  When Wyatt remained silent after a few more beats, she scoffed, “If you’re not going to take this seriously, maybe it’s best if I just go…I have research to do anyway.”

 

She picked up her bag and made to cross over to the door, before Wyatt sprang up from the sofa and gently reached out to grab her arm, “No, Lucy…please don’t go.” She turned and glared at him as he looked at her with desperate, pleading eyes.  “I’m sorry…I just...” he turned away from her once more, his emotions getting the better of him.  He returned to his seat on the couch with a heavy sigh and muttered through his hands, “I’ve really made a mess of things, haven’t I?”

 

Lucy tilted her head with a sigh, looking over at Wyatt in the utmost sympathy, her anger at him slowly ebbing away as she saw him in this pitiful state. Gone was the smugness and the smirks of last night.  This was Wyatt…with the same overwhelming sense of sadness and loss that she had seen in the jail cell in 1937 New Jersey, the same hopelessness that she had seen on his face at the Alamo, the same desperation that she had seen the night he told her he was leaving to go save Jessica…and he missed her…the voice mail had said so.  How would she react if she had made a desperate attempt to save Amy and it had failed?  What would be her state of mind if, in that moment of disappointment and grief, she had seen Wyatt with something that was so essentially a part of Amy?  Her guilt and shame for wearing those rings came back full-force as she admitted, “Well…for what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.” Wyatt looked up at her in gaping disbelief as she carefully avoided his eye, “I think we both did some things yesterday that we’d rather forget…so…”

 

“Lucy…what are _you_ apologizing for?” Wyatt asked her incredulously. 

 

She shifted uncomfortably and shrugged slightly, not daring to meet his eye, “Oh you know…” she trailed off, hardly able to even allude to her mortification of the day before, especially not now, knowing that he had saved Jessica only to lose her again. 

 

The phone in her coat pocket buzzed and she sighed out in frustration.  Pulling it out of her pocket, she rolled her eyes once she saw the screen, declined the call and tucked it away again only to have it buzz again a moment later. 

 

Wyatt narrowed his eyes, “Who was that?”

 

“No one.” Lucy said shortly. “Just ignore it.” 

 

The incessant buzzing of her phone however proved to be too distracting and Wyatt stood up and crossed the distance between them.  “Now who’s keeping secrets?  Who is that?”

 

Lucy pulled the phone out of her pocket and waved it at him, “It’s just my mother.  I’m doing some research for her new book…she’s just checking on my progress…” Lucy explained before muttering under her breath, “among other things”

 

“Didn’t your mom just finish a new book?” Wyatt asked with a quizzical look.

 

Lucy’s eyes darted up to his in surprise, “Yeah…how did you…?

 

Wyatt shrugged as he teased, “Kind of got an up close and personal look at it the other night. But,” he said in a more serious tone, “I did hear you mention it once or twice…I know you think I don’t listen to you, ma’am” he added with a smirk, “…but I do.” 

 

Lucy gave him a wry smile, feeling suddenly and stupidly giddy that Wyatt had taken notice and remembered something as insignificant as her mother’s latest book.  That knowledge was completely irrelevant to their missions and yet…he knew.

 

But no.  This was not why she was here.  She would not allow herself to get sidetracked by Wyatt’s uncanny ability to make her forget which way was up when he smiled at her like that. She declined the call once more, placed it back in her coat pocket, and gave a short cough, willing herself to remain focused. 

 

Why was she here again?

 

Dammit.     

 

Wyatt, noting her absent-mindedness, was grateful for the short reprieve.  That ultrasound photo had blindsided him…probably not as much as it had Lucy, but it had rattled him enough to know that he needed a few moments to collect his thoughts and figure out how he was going to explain…all of this. It would have been so easy for him to change the subject, get them off topic…chat her up about her mother’s book, but none of those things would really help in the long run.  He had made a complete ass of himself last night and drunken ramblings or no, he knew he was going to have to talk with Lucy about some of what had happened.  It really was the only way he was going to be able to win back her trust…and he needed her to trust him to have any kind of chance to have her as his own again.

 

“Look,” Wyatt said as he quietly and discreetly tucked the ultrasound photo away, “Lucy, I know I’ve been difficult and I don’t want you to feel like I’m keeping secrets from you…” he trailed off not sure where to begin, “it’s just not something that is easy for me to talk about.” 

 

Lucy nodded in understanding…painfully aware of why it was so difficult for him, thanks to Rufus’ disclosure over the phone the night before.  Even though she felt like it was such an invasion of privacy, knew that it was possibly going to open up fresh wounds, her curiosity had gotten the better of her.  She clenched her eyes shut and admitted with a pang, “Rufus told me that you saved Jessica…” He looked at her expectedly but found that she was looking at him with the same look of anticipation, as if waiting for him to finish her sentence. When he didn’t respond, she tilted her head at him, her eyes brimmed with tears, “Why didn’t you tell me that you had saved her?  That it worked?” 

 

“What did Rufus tell you, exactly?” Wyatt asked as he narrowed his eyes. 

 

She scoffed, “Hardly anything.  He would only tell me that things “went to hell”” she gestured mockingly with her hands, “and that you had to go back and fix things, and that now she’s ” Lucy gulped quickly as she brought her eyes to meet his , “…gone again.”  Wyatt’s face twisted in grief as he dropped his head to his chest and turned away from her. Lucy immediately regretted even mentioning what Rufus had carelessly betrayed to her over the phone.  Forgetting her anger completely, she stepped forward quickly and placed a comforting hand on his back.  Steeling herself for a reproof of her boldness for prying into his personal issues, Lucy took a deep breath as she looked at him with the utmost sympathy and breathed out “What happened, Wyatt?”

 

Wyatt’s eyes filled with tears at the memory of Lucy’s pale and lifeless body, the anguish he felt when he realized she was gone.  Yet here she was, standing in what had been their living room, talking to him, pleading with him to be honest with her about what had happened.  He wanted to tell her everything, about her, them, their life together…but how could he tell her the truth about why Jessica was dead again? He knew Lucy.  Apart from being completely shaken by the realization that she had died…and was gone, he knew that if she found out that Jessica was now dead because of his effort to save her, she would be eaten up with guilt over it. That no matter the reason or the excuse, she would feel responsible for Jessica’s death and Wyatt was not about to let that happen.

 

 No.

 

 Not when it was on him.

  

Wyatt furrowed his brow in thought.  He needed to be honest with Lucy, but he couldn’t risk her finding out that she had died and his mission to save Jessica was really a mission to save her.  He could tell her the truth…to a point…and that would, at least, answer her questions but keep her blissfully ignorant of anything that would cause her undue pain.  He placed a hand on her arm and led her to the couch, “You had better sit down.” he sighed in resignation.

 

With a look of confusion and concern, Lucy followed Wyatt to the couch and sat down while he paced nervously in front of her.  She watched him with growing apprehension until he finally turned to her and said truthfully, “I didn’t go back to save Jessica that night.  She was already alive.”

 

She knew that she shouldn’t be shocked by the statement given what she had surmised after her discussion with Rufus.  If Wyatt hadn’t gone to Boston because of Jessica, that meant that she had been alive, but the confirmation of it, from Wyatt himself, left her shaken.  She gaped at him for a few moments before uttering with a derisive laugh, “Wyatt, I don’t understand…you came to my house…you told me you were going to steal the LifeBoat to save Jessica.” 

 

Wyatt shook his head at her, “That wasn’t me.”  At her look of incredulous alarm, he added quickly, “well, no it was me…but not me…me.” Letting out a sigh of frustration he sank down in his armchair and rubbed his face roughly with his hands before continuing, “Lucy, do you remember that trip to Vegas in 1962?”

 

“Yes,” Lucy said with uncertainty, “Judith Campbell, right?”

 

Wyatt nodded, “Do you remember what I did on that trip?”

 

“You mean, besides play chicken with a nuclear bomb?” she quirked her lip at him in a sardonic grin. She furrowed her brow in thought. Why on Earth would Vegas in 1962 have anything to do with Jessica being back?  Flynn had kidnapped Judith Campbell, blackmailed her and made off with a nuclear weapon.  That mission had been a huge failure, Agent Christopher had been furious at them…and it was even worse for Wyatt because….

 

Lucy gasped, “The telegram.” Wyatt nodded at her as she shook her head, “But…that didn’t work.  You checked as soon as we got back.” 

 

“You’re right.” Wyatt said softly.  “It didn’t work…not then, anyway.” At Lucy’s look of confusion, Wyatt explained, “That trip we took to Vegas when you were sick?  July 1963?”  Lucy nodded as Wyatt continued, “Bam Bam saved somebody who was supposed to die and that changed…everything.”

  

“Changed?  Changed how?”

 

“Changed as in the telegram that hadn’t worked in 1962, sure as hell got delivered when we came back from 1963.”  Wyatt sighed heavily, “Jessica was alive and things were…different.”

 

“How different?” Lucy asked with growing trepidation.

 

Wyatt covered his face with his hands, “Things were just different, Lucy.  Please…don’t make me go into it, right now.”

 

Lucy swallowed hard as she began to think through this startling new information.  “If that telegram worked…then the last five years…” she gasped as she realized what that meant, “everything would have changed for you…for _all_ of us.”  She looked up at Wyatt almost fearful,  “Oh my God…it was like me…after the Hindenburg, wasn’t it?” She stood up suddenly in a panic, “Wait…am I still…me?”

 

She knew it was a silly question almost as soon as it had escaped her lips.  Of course, she was still herself…but would she have known otherwise? Right now, she was living in a timeline that was not her own; no Amy, her mother, well….and Noah…the ex-fiancé who had fallen in love with the Lucy who was supposed to be here….so maybe it wasn’t a silly question after all. 

 

Chuckling at her obvious apprehension, Wyatt smirked at her, “As far as I know, ma’am.” She nodded at him tensely as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, “Rufus, Bam Bam and I got back from 1963 and found ourselves in a different timeline where Jessica was alive.  Since you didn’t come on that trip to Vegas…”

 

“My reality changed.” She nodded in understanding.  That explained why she didn’t remember the missions.  If they happened in another timeline, she wouldn’t remember once things were set right again…particularly if she hadn’t traveled with the team. Lucy sucked in a breath as she thought over what the implications of a new timeline could mean…Wyatt had said things were different, “So…” she began, pausing as she looked at him apprehensively, “I’m guessing you…well, you wouldn’t have been on the team.” 

 

Wyatt shrugged at her, ‘What do you mean?”

 

Lucy bit her lip nervously as she paced the room, “I mean…well…I mean, with Jessica.”  He looked back at her innocently, which made Lucy explain in a huff of exasperation, “Rufus told me you left to go to San Diego. So you” she swallowed hard as she nodded tersely, “lived there?”

 

Wyatt’s mouth dropped open at her question.  Of course, Lucy would ask something like that…Jessica had been his wife, she had no reason to believe that they weren’t still married in that time line and since Rufus had blabbed about Wyatt’s absence at the Boston Massacre, she had assumed that Wyatt had gone to be with his wife.  He was keenly aware that he was now treading into very dangerous territory.  Telling Lucy that he and Jessica had divorced was innocent enough, but it also had the potential to open up a new onslaught of questions.  Questions that Wyatt didn’t want to answer.  Not right now anyway.  Taking a steadying breath, he admitted truthfully, “I went to see her in San Diego, yes.” Wyatt nodded firmly, offering her a small smile as he continued, “but I was still on the team, that hadn’t changed.”

 

Lucy breathed out a sigh of relief.  She wasn’t sure why, but somehow, she took comfort in the fact that even in another timeline, even with Jessica alive, Wyatt was still a part of her life.   Which brought up another question...why would Wyatt leave a timeline that had Jessica in it?  Having Jessica back had been his hope, his dream, for the past five years, so why on Earth would he change that?  Lucy began to pace in front of him nervously again as these thoughts crept into her brain. Hesitating slightly, she turned to him with agitation, “So…wait…why are you here?”

 

Wyatt leaned back in his chair and smirked at her, “I live here.”

 

Lucy glared at him in exasperation, “You know what I mean…what happened to Jessica?” Lucy asked as she wrung her hands desperately, “Why aren’t you _there_?  In _that_ timeline?  Why are things back the way they were?”  She looked at him seriously, “Things _are_ back the way they were…right?”

 

Wyatt gazed at her with a heart full of sadness and meaning.  Yes… _some_ things were back the way they were…but not everything.  _He_ had most definitely changed. His love for Lucy had gone from a spark that he had continually tried to smother, to a raging inferno that had completely consumed him.  No longer was his focus on Jessica and the guilt that came from her untimely death; instead, his attention was now directed to doing whatever he could to repair his relationship with Lucy.  While he was outrageously happy to have her here, alive again, he was filled with regret, knowing that the joy they had shared in one timeline might never be fully realized in this one.  Lucy, after all, wasn’t his…not anymore…not here…and so far, he had done nothing to plead his case, quite the contrary.  To this Lucy, he was the man pining for his dead wife…well, technically he still was…but not _that_ dead wife.  He was the man who had told her that Jessica was his one and only, the man who had come back after stealing the Lifeboat and beat the shit out of her fiancé and a Revolutionary War Hero…but not before knocking Lucy off a pier causing her to get stitches.  To this Lucy, he was Wyatt…Delta Force soldier, widower, co-worker, teammate…and sometimes asshole. 

 

Nothing more.

 

He nodded slowly at her as he whispered despondently, “Yeah…things are back to the way they were before.”        

 

Lucy searched his face, seeing the sadness that was so evident there these days.  “But Wyatt, why?” 

 

Wyatt grimaced as he stood up and began pacing.  He knew Lucy was going to ask this question just as he knew she would never get over the guilt of being the reason Jessica was no longer alive…but it didn’t mean he was any more prepared for it when it did come.  How could he tell her?  How could he burden her with the knowledge that her life now came at the cost of someone else’s?

 

Wyatt swallowed hard, not wanting to lie, but terrified the truth of it all would show up on his face as he looked at her, “I had to put things back the way they were…things were different, Lucy…in ways you will never know,” he nodded at her meaningfully as tears formed in his eyes, “I had to do this.” He gritted his teeth as he looked at her, “I had to.”  

 

Lucy gaped at him, hardly believing what she was hearing.  Wyatt, the man who had talked of little else for more than a year than saving his dead wife, was now telling her that he had purposefully gone back to reset things to the timeline where she was dead.  But why?  Rufus had said everything had gone to hell, Wyatt had now just alluded to the same thing. What on Earth happened?  Lucy knew Wyatt…nothing would have prevented him from getting his wife back...not even the threat of a lifetime in prison.  Yet, he had her back and decided to change things? It didn’t make any sense.  Even if things were different…why would it make any difference if you loved someone the way Wyatt loved Jessica?

 

Lucy stepped towards Wyatt tentatively, “Why?  What happened?”   She bit her lip as she watched Wyatt twist his face in anguish at her questions, feeling very much like she had overstepped her bounds.   

 

Wyatt frowned and shook his head resolutely, “I really don’t want to talk about it.  It’s not important now.”  He nodded tersely as he attempted to steady his quavering voice, “But Rufus was right, things really did go to Hell.”

 

Lucy shook her head at him fondly with a sympathetic smile on her face, “I told you not to start Armageddon.”

 

Wyatt hung his head and let out a dry chuckle as he remembered that day in the corridor of Mason Industries, “Yeah…you did.” he breathed out with a sigh.   He gave her a quick glance and muttered sadly, “I wish it didn’t have to be this way, Lucy…but this…this was for the best.” He took a small step towards her, his voice low and serious, “I should have never messed with the timeline to begin with…I should’ve never tried to bring her back.”

 

Lucy gaped back at him. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.  Wyatt, who from almost the first moment they met had spoken of nothing but getting back the wife he loved, changing that one night, was now regretting that he had even done so.  Losing her a second time must have been excruciatingly painful for him…yet, he chose to do it.  Lucy’s chest tightened as she thought about Amy.   What if her attempt to restore her sister resulted in some hellish dystopian present? Maybe it was wrong to meddle with the timeline…

 

No. 

 

She couldn’t, she wouldn’t give up on her fight to save Amy.  Besides, Amy hadn’t been killed…she had been erased.  She was still supposed to be here. 

 

Lucy looked up at Wyatt helplessly and with a heavy sigh attempted to console him, “Maybe…maybe there’s another way…you can’t just give up on this…it’s what you’ve wanted for five years...”   

 

In that moment, Wyatt looked completely lost.  There was a darkness clouding his features that seemed to highlight the heavy circles under his sleep deprived eyes.  Though he was trying to put up a brave front, Lucy could tell Wyatt was battling within himself.  The weight of whatever it was that he had suffered seemed to weigh physically on his shoulders which were sagging despondently.  The sight of Wyatt, the man who had been her source of strength for so long, particularly after losing Amy, looking so distraught and depressed, filled Lucy with heart wrenching sorrow.  Before she could even register what she was doing, she reached out and pulled Wyatt into a hug as she gasped, “Oh Wyatt, I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean…that must have been so difficult…I…I know how much saving her meant to you.  I didn’t mean to make it sound like you didn’t care.”

 

Wyatt said nothing, but from his heavy sigh and the slight shake in his shoulders, Lucy could tell that he was crying.  Heartbroken for him, she pulled away slightly, offering him an apologetic frown as she wiped away a tear from his cheek with one gentle swipe of her thumb. She felt horrible.  She had been so angry at him for his drunken outburst of the night before, but now…after learning what he had suffered…what he had sacrificed…how could she blame him?  He couldn’t even meet her eyes as she murmured, “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.  I shouldn’t have…I shouldn’t have made you talk about all of this.”

 

“No…I’m sorry, Lucy.” Wyatt muttered as he hung his head.  “For everything.  God, I’ve been such an ass.”

 

Lucy hated that on top of all the emotional hurt he had just experienced, Wyatt was now beating himself up over the actions born out of his stress and despair.  His nerves had to have been completely on edge and so any little provocation would, of course, result in an over-reaction…as she had seen at Stanford and in Providence.  His drunken ramblings, while completely inappropriate, were just that…drunken ramblings….and if she were being completely honest, she had been on the receiving end of far worse from men who were just as far gone as he had been.  To see him standing there, dejected, not even able to meet her eye after everything he had been through, made her feel desperate to help him.  Pulling him into another hug, Lucy tightened her arms around him and whispered through her own tears, “You deserve to be happy, Wyatt.”   

 

She hadn’t meant to do it, but it seemed so natural given their current situation to just press a quick kiss to his cheek as she pulled away from the embrace.   She hadn’t thought anything of it until Wyatt’s breath caught in his throat and his eyes darted to hers.  Immediately feeling like she had crossed some invisible line that had been drawn between them since that night in Arkansas 1934, she swallowed hard as she became painfully aware that she was standing far too close to Wyatt. Their arms were wrapped around each other and it would be nothing to close the small gap that existed between them and finish what was started in Providence.  It was one thing to be on a mission and get carried away by a role…this, however, was real life…there would be no explaining it away, no excuse for leaning in and pressing her mouth against his…even though she desperately wanted to.  She meant to back away, to offer him a sheepish smile as she collected her bag and left…but she found herself incapable of moving as Wyatt’s gaze traveled from her eyes to her lips.

 

Somewhere in her mind, she knew this wasn’t supposed to happen, that she was supposed to be keeping Wyatt at an arm’s distance…but at the moment she couldn’t quite piece together why.  Maybe it was the proximity of his lips, the feel of his body pressed against hers…or maybe it was the fact that Wyatt’s hands were slowly raking over back, sending shivers up her spine.  

 

Whatever it was, it was enough to drive out any rational thought from Lucy’s head.  Cupping his jaw with her hand, she slowly brushed her lips over his tentatively, unsure of what his reaction might be.  That initial graze - barely there contact - however, was all the invitation Wyatt needed to pull Lucy closer and capture her mouth in a searing kiss that almost caused her knees to buckle with its passion and intensity.

 

Wyatt’s hands moved from her back to her hair, tangling his fingers in her dark locks as she entwined her arms around his neck.  She would’ve been happy to stay like that forever, locked in Wyatt’s embrace, her lips pressed against his, but reality came crashing down like a deluge of freezing rain when he grazed her cheek with his hand and she felt the cool metal of his wedding band against her skin. 

 

This was why she wasn’t supposed to be doing this.

 

What would he think now? First Jessica’s wedding rings and now this?  He had just finished telling her he had been forced for whatever reason to reset the timeline to erase his wife and here she was throwing herself at him, like some sort of pathetic love-sick teenager. 

 

With a gasp of alarm, she pulled away from him, stumbling out of his arms putting as much distance between them as she possibly could as she worked to compose herself.   “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t have done that.”  she muttered as she made a frantic dash for the door.  Her face was flushing furiously and she hardly dared to look at him as he stood there confused and hurt by the way she had pulled out of his embrace.  “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.” She managed a quick glance back at him before she fumbled for the door knob, stunned to see that he was right beside her.

 

“Lucy…please, no…I’m…I’m sorry.” He breathed out frantically.  His eyes sought her for only a moment before he cast them to the floor, “I don’t know what came over me.” He rubbed his hands roughly over his temples, desperation thick in his voice, “Can…can we just forget that this happened?”

 

Lucy swallowed hard as she nodded, “Okay…yes…of…of course.”

 

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious about being in Wyatt’s apartment…alone…with him… caused her to shudder slightly as she once more reached for the doorknob, “I shouldn’t be here…” she began, but at the pained look on Wyatt’s face she explained, “you’ve got a headache…and you’ve just lost…” she bit her lip anxiously, “I…I shouldn’t have come barging into your apartment on Saturday morning” she ducked her head in embarrassment as she fumbled once more for the doorknob, stammering an explanation. “Rufus told me he was here…I didn’t mean to…I’m really sorry, Wyatt.”

 

“No, Lucy.” Wyatt assured. “It’s okay…I’m…I’m glad you came by.”

 

They stood there looking at each other for a beat too long, until the buzzing of her phone caused her to startle back to her senses. “Look, I…I know we need to talk about all of this…but I’m willing to forget about yesterday if you are.”  

 

Wyatt nodded eagerly, “Nothing would make me happier.”  His eyes sought hers as she reluctantly looked up at him, “Fresh start, okay?”

 

“Okay.” Lucy breathed out in a hoarse whisper.  “I’m…I’m going to go now…I have to” she swallowed hard, “ya know…do some research for my mother.” She opened the door and looking back at Wyatt with a nod of her head she squeaked out, “Good-bye, Wyatt.” in a voice thick with awkward tension.

 

Wyatt stared after her half transfixed, half amused as she tripped over the threshold of his apartment and shut the door behind her with a shame-faced grin.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...I AM SO SO SO SORRY that this took much longer than I had promised some of you. What can I say? Holidays and writing fic don't mix!!  
> I rewrote this chapter SO MANY TIMES. I had so many GREAT scenarios worked out and I didn't want to lose ANY of them...I kept changing my mind and going back and revising...t really was like the ending of Clue...."this is the way it could happen...or it could go like this....but this is what really happened." But NEVER fear, I finally worked it out in my head how I can incorporate MOST of what the other scenarios included, so those sections will appear....in the nearish future. I really thought I was going to be done by now...and I PROMISE YOU we're nearing that finish line, but I have no idea how much longer we have...every time I do an estimate my chapters are 10K plus words long and it just lengthens the fic. I know some of you aren't complaining...but I really am not trying to drag this out, I just want to give the ending it deserves and it, therefore, cannot be one that is abrupt and quick. I'm really trying to get Wyatt and Lucy back on the same page...and they are GETTING there. Bombshells need to be dropped and realizations dawned and then we can move on to other fics.  
> Just a word of warning, I will be traveling next week and then the hubs comes home from his deployment...and then I have a few one-shots I need to do for Lyatt Christmas, so I have NO IDEA when I can update this. You should know me by now, I don't like to leave my readers hanging. So I promise I will be working on this as much as I can. I have part of the next chapter written, so we're already off to a good start!
> 
> I hope that my fellow Americans had a blessed Thanksgiving!!
> 
> Thank you again for your support, your readership and for those of you who review, thank you for your kind words of support and encouragement...they really mean a lot.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE! 
> 
> I spent the ENTIRE weekend writing out this finale for you. I wasn't originally going to end it quite like this, but I woke up to some very negative reviews of the last chapter yesterday and again this morning and it really took the joy out of writing this story for me. THANKFULLY, I had about half of this chapter already written and so it was just a matter of going through my notes with a fine tooth comb, cutting out and merging different scenes I had plotted so I could just end this story and be done with it I'm sure those critics will think even more needed to be cut, but frankly I'm not writing this for them. 
> 
> I know that those of you who are and have been cheerleaders of this story do not feel this way, and please do not think that I am letting those negative nancies win....I really hated the idea of having this epic story hanging over my head as we entered the holiday swing, fearful that I would not get a chance to get back to this for a while and so I took the essentials that I had and created a finale. 
> 
> Despite what you may think, particularly after what I said, I am happy with this ending...and I MAY (that's a BIG MAY) add an epilogue to it for Lyatt Christmas, but it really depends on how I feel. This work has taken MONTHS to complete and I have worked tirelessly on it and crossing the finish line to jeers is not the way I ever wanted to end this fic that has meant so much to me...so I'm ending it now, before those jeers get louder and more frequent. 
> 
> Happy Reading..

 

With shaking knees Lucy tripped down the stairs of Wyatt’s apartment building, hardly paying any attention to where she was or where she was going. 

 

She had kissed Wyatt. 

 

He was crying over the loss of his wife and she kissed him.  How could she be so stupid?  How could she be so thoughtless and careless?  Yes, Wyatt had said it was fine, not to worry about it…fresh start and all of that…but Lucy was positive she would never be able to look him in the eye again.  How could she?  It was one thing to kiss him in Arkansas...they were _just playing a role_ but this was mid-morning, his apartment, no audience and Wyatt…

 

He had kissed her back.

 

Her breath hitched in her throat as that realization hit her smack dab in the face.  Lucy’s kiss had been a graze, a small tentative gesture that she offered in part for comfort, but mostly out of curiosity.  Their almost kiss in Providence had left her feeling slightly dazed and being wrapped up in his arms again, that close, had been too tempting, too intoxicating not to at least see what his reaction might be…and what a reaction.  She had no idea what she had anticipated when she brushed her lips against his...but whatever her expectations, Wyatt’s passionate capture of her mouth with his own had not been among them. Her heart fluttered as she recalled the way his hands pulled her closer as he fused his mouth with hers making her feel like she was almost a part of him.  Which was silly, considering Jessica was his lightning bolt.  How many times had he told her she was the his one and only?  Jessica was the one he had just risked almost everything to save….

 

No wait, that was the _other_ Wyatt.

 

 _This_ Wyatt had given Jessica up.

 

Lucy froze in her tracks.  _Wyatt had given up Jessica._  Lucy thought of how Wyatt had acted since he came to her at Stanford, the way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, the things he said last night in the bar…

 

No…he was grieving…this had nothing to do with her. 

 

Right?

 

Oh God...what if it did?

 

Lucy suddenly realized that he hadn’t really answered her questions…which, in and of itself was cause for concern.  _It’s not easy for me to talk about_ , he had said.  _Things were different_ , he had said…but never once did he answer her question of why or how…and she had stupidly let it slide.  Her heartbreak over his disappointment of losing Jessica a second time had far outweighed her curiosity and as a result she had left Wyatt’s apartment only with a better of understanding of why Wyatt was acting the way he was, but still had no idea what had happened to cause such a change in his appearance and his demeanor since that night.  What she did know now was that Wyatt had _chosen_ to do this, _he had to_ reset the timeline…for whatever reason…a reason he couldn’t tell Lucy.

 

It had to be something awful.  Something that would make him scrap a timeline where Jessica had never died.

 

Why reset it? 

 

What could possibly make him throw away everything he had hoped for, for the past five years?

 

And why did Lucy now have the awful feeling that it had something to do with her?  

 

She was completely lost in her train of thought when she arrived at her car and realized with a jolt of panic that she was empty-handed.  She had been in such a hurry to leave, she rushed out without grabbing her purse.  Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.  Of all the possible scenarios playing through her mind upon seeing Wyatt again, none of them included an immediate trip back to the scene of the crime in order to retrieve her purse.  A wave of dread washed over her. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to face Wyatt for at least a few days, at least until the initial shock of what she had done, wore off, but now she had no choice.  She covered her face with her hands and cursed as she spun on her heel.  

 

“Forget something?” Wyatt asked with a smirk, holding out her bag.

 

Lucy nearly fell over out of shock at the sight of him, slightly breathless from his obvious jog down to her car, yet looking so relaxed…and strangely happy.  She gaped at him in confusion for a while, before Wyatt called her back to attention, “Lucy?  This is yours, right?”  He grinned, “I know for a fact it isn’t mine...and it sure as hell better not belong to Rufus or I’ll never let him live that down.”

 

Lucy continued to gape at him, before she startled to her senses and reached out for her bag, “Yes…that’s mine.  Th…thank you.”

 

“No problem, ma’am” Wyatt said softly, still smiling at her.  Lucy offered him a sheepish smile and quickly averted her eyes, fumbling within the depths of her handbag for her keys.  “Listen,” Wyatt began as he cleared his throat, “I don’t want you to feel bad about anything that happened…earlier…I mean, I’m…I’m not upset.”

 

Lucy nodded her head frantically, unable to form the words that were seemingly lodged in her throat.

 

“Lucy?” Wyatt said in a quiet voice.

 

“Hmmmm?” she hummed in answer, barely looking up at him as she unlocked her car.

 

“Um…I was just wondering…if maybe” he swallowed hard, “you’d want to get dinner or something some time?” Lucy keys fell out of her hands and onto the sidewalk as she stood staring at him in a state of complete shock. Panicked because she didn’t respond Wyatt added quickly, “Just…just to talk…if…if you don’t want to….that’s okay.”

 

Lucy bent halfway to pick up her keys and then stood up again, before crouching down once more and scooping them off the pavement, her mind swimming with the notion that Wyatt had just asked her out on what could only be considered a date.  Painfully aware of her shaking hands and quavering voice she stammered, “Um…um…just to talk?  Okay....sure...okay.”

 

Wyatt flushed a bit as he nodded, “Okay” he coughed, “great…in that case, can I bum a ride to Mason so I can get my Jeep?” he asked with an embarrassed grin.  “Didn’t really have a chance to get it last night...after…everything.”

 

Lucy’s hand slipped off the door handle as she stared back at him in surprise, “Oh…yeah…I was um…I was actually headed there anyway.” He gave her a curious glance and she explained, “it’s Saturday…the conference rooms make for a nice quiet place to get some work done.”

 

Wyatt nodded at her slowly, a curious expression on his face as he opened her car door for her, “Do you normally do your research at Mason?”

 

Lucy shrugged as she colored slightly, “Not always.” Wyatt nodded in acknowledgement as Lucy sat down in the driver’s seat.

 

As soon as Wyatt closed the door behind her, she let out a shaky exhale.  What the hell was happening?  Just minutes ago, she didn’t think she could look Wyatt in the eye again and now here she was agreeing to go to dinner.  She wrung her hands before she gripped the steering wheel, steeling herself for the most likely awkward drive to Mason.  Being in close proximity to Wyatt, after all of what had just passed?

 

What was she thinking?

 

He was halfway in her car when he paused as he looked behind him in the back seat, “Holy shit, Lucy…how many books do you need?”

 

“I told you,” she said an annoyed huff, “I’m doing research.” 

 

“So why Mason?” Wyatt asked as he pulled the car door closed, “Why not some library?”

 

Lucy’s face darkened as she frowned slightly while adjusting her seatbelt and mirror, “It’s just…I know I won’t be bothered there…that’s all.”

 

Something in the way Lucy said “bothered”, bothered Wyatt.  His mind was immediately taken back to _his_ Lucy and the troubles she went through due to her broken engagement, “Noah?” he asked with a stiffening jaw.

 

Again, Lucy looked up at him in surprise as she nodded, gaping slightly at him.  She offered him a wry smile and admitted, “Let’s just say you weren’t the only one keeping me up last night.”

 

Anger flashed across Wyatt’s face, “Did he call you?”

 

“No.” Lucy said with a shake of her head and a slight chuckle, offering Wyatt a sideways glance as she quickly muttered, “He was at my mother’s when I got back from the bar.”

 

Wyatt stared at her in disbelief before he huffed back in his seat and gritted out “Asshole” under his breath. 

 

Lucy tilted her head at him with a smirk, “I think we established that you weren’t exactly on your best behavior last night, either.”  She shook her head, “He’s just…we _were_ engaged, Wyatt.  Of course, he’s going to be upset about how it all…fell apart.”

 

“Yeah, but Lucy…” Wyatt argued.   He knew how insistent Noah had been in the other timeline.  Noah and her mother had made Lucy so uncomfortable, she had wound up sleeping at Mason…until Wyatt had found out about it. 

 

“Wyatt, it’s fine.  I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore…and he left.” Lucy said with a shrug. “That’s that.”

 

“Uh-huh…so then why not just do your research in a library?” Wyatt asked with a meaningful glance, “Seems like it would be a whole lot easier than carting around a whole car full of books.”  Wyatt shrugged as he looked out of the window, “Of course, you don’t have the benefit of 24 hour armed security and access passes in a library…”

 

Lucy gave him a sideways glance as she drove on, “I might have overheard my mother telling Noah that I would be researching today.” she muttered in resignation.

 

Wyatt let out a chuckle…seems Carol Preston was bound and determined for Lucy to marry the smarmy jackass in every timeline.  Wyatt sighed, “So you admit that you think he was going to hound you at the library?”

 

“I didn’t say that.” Lucy said with a frown. 

 

“No…but you did think it,” Wyatt motioned to the multiple volumes scattered along her backseat, “otherwise you wouldn’t have packed.”    

 

They drove the rest of the way in relative silence, Lucy biting her lip nervously, still at a complete loss oh what to say or what to think, chancing quick glances in Wyatt’s direction as he bit on his thumb and looked out of the window.

 

Once at Mason, Wyatt leapt out of the car and quickly opened Lucy’s car door, smirking at her fondly as she stepped out of the vehicle.  “Thanks…”she said offering him a curious glance.  There was no tension, no awkwardness…which was strange considering that he had just asked her out after completely flooring her with that kiss. After the Bonnie and Clyde mission, Wyatt had been clearly uncomfortable with what had happened between them and had gone out of his way to make sure that Lucy knew it was _just a role_. Wyatt now seemed to be doing everything in his power to communicate to Lucy that whatever had just happened between them had nothing to do with a role…and everything to do with her. 

 

She was determined to get to the bottom of it all.  Something had obviously happened during that three weeks and she was becoming more and more convinced that she was at the heart of it…somehow, someway.  _Her_ Wyatt would have never been so quick to give up Jessica…and he certainly wouldn’t have asked her to dinner…unless it had something to do with the mission. 

 

 They stood in silence outside of her car, for a while, until Lucy noticed that Wyatt was looking at the books in the back of her car again. “I suppose you think I’m silly for going through all of this trouble to avoid Noah.” she muttered in embarrassment.

 

Wyatt shook his head with a grin, “Not silly at all…ma’am.” When she gave him a nod that spoke to her satisfied relief that Wyatt wasn’t thinking she was over-reacting, he bent his head lower to look in her eyes and said with a serious frown, “But Lucy, you shouldn’t have to hide.  If you want me to go scare the hell out of him, I will.”

 

Lucy let out a derisive laugh, “Oh yes, I’m sure that will go over just fine coming from you. Really Wyatt, it’ll be okay…once he realizes it’s really over, he’ll move on.” Wyatt looked at her doubtfully, as she loaded a few books into a large satchel, before finally offering to carry them all in for her.  “Are you sure?” Lucy laughed as Wyatt loaded his arms up with her books and motioned for her to lead the way.

 

Together, they made their way into the almost deserted corridors of Mason Industries.  Here and there they would meet and intern or a lab technician, but as Lucy had surmised back at the apartment, Saturdays – when there were no missions – offered a startling contrast to the typically busy and almost frantic pace of the warehouse during the week.  

 

Wyatt deposited the books onto the conference room table and Lucy gave him a shy smile, “Thanks again, Wyatt.”

 

“Sure thing, ma’am” he said as he lifted up one of her books, “What’s your mom’s new book going to be about?” He glanced down at the volume in his hand and blanched, staring back at him was a man he had almost killed just a few days before…none other than, “Henry Clay Frick.” Wyatt gritted it out with so much hate that it caused Lucy to pause and look up at him in marked concern. 

 

“No…well, not _just_ him.  She’s doing a whole book on the great Robber Barons of the Gilded Age.” Lucy rolled her eyes, “That man, right there was one of the worst.  He basically ruled Pittsburgh during the latter part of the 19thcentury.” Lucy began busying herself by emptying her satchel full of notecards and pads of paper, “I don’t know why my mother reveres them all so much, “Captains of Industry, Great Men of the Age”, they wielded so much influence, they practically got away with murder.”

 

“They did get away with murder.” Wyatt growled as he gripped the book tightly his hand.

 

Lucy paused again and looked up at Wyatt with a questioning expression, “Yes…” she said slowly, looking from Wyatt to the book in his hand, “I suppose that’s true.  Apart from some violent workers strikes there was also an incident with a club a lot of them were involved with...one of the worst flooding disasters in American history…wiped away an entire town because they hadn’t properly maintained a dam at their country club.”

 

“Johnstown.” Wyatt muttered quietly, not looking at Lucy. 

 

“How did you…?”

 

Wyatt blinked hard and tossed the book back onto the table, “Um…when do you want to dinner?” Wyatt asked as he stuffed his hands in the pocket of his coat.  “Tonight?”

 

Lucy shrugged apologetically, “I need to get as much research done today as I possibly can…you know…since we never know…” she trailed off looking shamefaced.  “And I really don’t need my mother on my case any more than she already is” she swallowed hard as she averted her eyes, “you know, with Noah.”

 

He frowned as nodded back at her with a sigh, the hurt on his face evident as he made to step out of the room before she called him back, her eyes clenched shut in embarrassment, “Wyatt?  I know you think I should’ve ended it with Noah a long time ago.” She cast her eyes down as he turned to face her, “It’s just...some version of me obviously loved him enough to want to marry him and I just thought he deserved a chance, you know?” She rolled her eyes at herself, “I know it’s stupid…but after he gave me that ring, and after seeing all of those pictures of us together…it just…I felt like I should give it a shot…see if I would feel the same now as I did then.”

 

Wyatt acknowledged her with a frown and stepped back into the conference room, “And you never did?” Wyatt asked with more than a little curiosity, his heart racing for more reasons than just Lucy’s indifference to Noah.

 

“No…never.” Lucy admitted with a sigh, “I never wanted to hurt him…I mean…he wasn’t a bad guy.” Lucy gave Wyatt a meaningful glare as he scoffed, “He _wasn’t_ , Wyatt.  I think he really did…love me…but not _this_ me…I could tell long before last night that I wasn’t like the Lucy he knew.”  She sighed as she shrugged, “I guess I just felt like he deserved a chance…I owed it to him…and my other self to see…”

 

“To see, what?” Wyatt asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

 

She offered Wyatt a quick glance before casting her eyes down again, “You know…the whole lightning bolt…thing.” She turned her head away from him as Wyatt’s mouth fell open at her reference to what he had told her in Arkansas.  She laughed derisively as she shook her head, “You know I invited him over after that mission in 1934?”  

 

“Yeah.” Wyatt admitted, but as Lucy’s eyes darted up to meet hers he quickly added, “I…I mean, you did?” Wyatt took a steadying breath.  He knew that Noah had been over at Lucy’s that night…but Lucy sure as hell didn’t know he knew and he planned on keeping it that way.  Kissing her had unnerved the hell out of him and in his restless wanderings he had found himself outside of her mother’s home only to be faced with the unsettling image of that smarmy jackass wrapped around Lucy in a way that made it clear to him that she wasn’t struggling with the same confusing feelings he was. In his best attempt at aloofness he breathed out, “How come?”

 

His voice sounded far too high to be his own and Lucy must have thought so too as she immediately looked up at him with a curious expression on her face, “Well, after you had told me about your experience with Jessica…and the lightning bolt…I just thought, if…if that were true, if there was such a thing then maybe…” she shrugged, “It was a stupid thing to do.”

 

If Wyatt hadn’t regretted his “lightning bolt speech” before, he sure as hell was hating it now. That damn conversation had led Lucy to test the waters with the smarmy jackass she didn’t even know.  No matter how many times he had tried to forget, the sight of Lucy and Noah kissing on her front porch seemed to be indelibly fixed in Wyatt’s memory…and now to find out she had done that, because of him? As much as he wanted to agree with Lucy that it was a stupid thing to do, to give credence to that twilight zone of a relationship…he was reminded that his relationship with Lucy in the other timeline could be considered very much the same.   How could he blame her for giving Noah a chance, when he was so very grateful that another version of her had given him one?   Wyatt sighed heavily, “Lucy…it wasn’t stupid.  He was your fiancé.”

 

Lucy bit her lip and nodded, “Yeah…”she cast her eyes to the floor and shrugged with a derisive laugh, “a man I didn’t even know…God, it’s so pathetic.”

 

“No…Lucy.” Wyatt said gently as he made his way towards her, “It’s not pathetic at all.  I understand why you did it…believe me.” Lucy gave Wyatt a grateful smile as he swallowed hard and dropped his voice into a harsh whisper filled with quavering emotion, “But you should have never felt like you owed that guy anything just because some version of you fell for him.” He clenched his eyes shut as he added, “You always have a choice.” 

 

He meant that.  He really did.  But he prayed to God that this version of her would overlook his stupidity and choose him…just as that other version of herself had done.  She had felt obligated to Noah, no way in hell did he want her feeling that way in regards to him…them.    

 

“Make my own choices…” Lucy said almost to herself, “Kinda like, if I don’t like the future Flynn has predicted for me, then rewrite it, right?” Lucy said with a smirk.  “I don’t think I ever thanked you for that.”

 

“What?” Wyatt asked with a frown.

 

“That pep talk after the 1754 mission…I hope it doesn’t sound weird, but you reminded me of Amy that night.”

 

Wyatt laughed, “Can’t say that I have ever been told I reminded anyone of their sister before.”

 

Lucy laughed as she said as she made a step towards him, “That’s not what I meant…I meant, she was always telling me not to do something just because my mother wanted me to do it. She always told me to make my own decisions…make my own future.”  She tilted her head at him, “I guess it was just nice, hearing that again.  Between Flynn, Noah, my mother, and that damn journal, I really believed everything was plotted out for me already.”

 

“And now?” Wyatt asked as he closed the distance between them. 

 

Lucy sighed ,“Now…I don’t know what to think.”  She looked up at him with pleading eyes, “I know that you were angry because I hadn’t told you about the journal…and Wyatt, I understand why you were.” He tried to argue against the accusation but she talked over him, “No, Wyatt…I should have told you.  I should have trusted you.”  She nodded, “But just like my engagement to Noah, that journal is evidence of a me I don’t know…and it scared me.”

 

“Yeah.” Wyatt nodded solemnly.  This was precisely what he was afraid of…he didn’t want to burden Lucy any more than she already was.  It was bad enough that her life had been flipped upside down and inside out at the start of this whole mess, to find out that she had died as a result of it too, lost a baby?  Hell no.  “Lucy, I wasn’t angry with you about the journal…” she looked at him doubtfully, “Okay, fine…" Wyatt admitted with a huff, "I was upset that you hadn’t told me about it, because it was related to our mission, our objective.”  He sighed, “I was hurt that you didn’t trust me with it…but I wasn’t angry at you.  I was angry because of Flynn…because he taunted me with that damn thing…first about Jessica’s murder and then like…like he knew you better than I do.”

 

Lucy paused at Wyatt’s words, remembering his smug statement of the night before… _”Bam Bam doesn’t know you, Noah didn’t know you, but I do.”_   She had told Wyatt that she was willing to forget that night…willing to forget how he had humiliated her in front of her colleagues, her historical idol, and her date…even if it was just Bam Bam.  The truth, however, was that while she was willing to forgive Wyatt, she was having a hell of a time forgetting all that was said that night. The things that unnerved her, the things that Wyatt knew…things he couldn’t possibly have known.

 

Lucy turned to face him slowly, “You said that last night.” she whispered as she narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Wh…What?” Wyatt asked, suddenly uncomfortable. 

 

“You told me that you knew me…better than Bam Bam and Noah…and then” she swallowed hard, “you started to tell me how well you knew me.”

 

Wyatt attempted to shrug off the inference, “C’mon Lucy…I do know you better than Flynn and Bam Bam and that jack…” he corrected himself at Lucy’s marked glare, “Noah.”

 

She quirked her eyebrow as she studied him…he was obviously unnerved, pacing and a bit flushed.  He rubbed the back of his neck nervously with a chuckle, “I thought we were just going to forget about all that stuff last night?”  

 

“We were” Lucy nodded in agreement as Wyatt breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled.  The smile, however, faded from his face when Lucy continued, “but…I know you’re keeping something from me…and I want to know what it is.”

 

The air in the room was ripe with tension as Lucy stared down Wyatt who was back to pacing nervously on the other side of the room.  “Lucy…” he groaned as raked a hand over his face. “Just trust me when I say, you’re better off not knowing.”

 

“Shouldn’t I be the one to decide that for myself?” Lucy spat out angrily. Wyatt looked over at her, his face wrenched in anguish.  Lucy almost felt sorry for him.  Almost. But she had too many questions that were unanswered to care.  She crossed her arms over her chest and arrested him with a steely gaze as she asked, “Wyatt, what aren’t you telling me and why?”

 

 

******

 

Hours passed, but Lucy hardly noted the time.  She was surrounded by notecards and stacks of books that she flipped through expertly, her hair twisted up away from her face as she frowned and scribbled down note after note, quote after quote on the large legal pad she had spread open in front of her.

 

Despite having to lock herself in a conference room all day, she was grateful for this assignment from her mother.  It gave her a focus, something to do, which helped quiet the nerves that had put her so on edge since that night Wyatt had come to her house.  She had been heartbroken then…but now?  Well, she didn’t know quite what to think…and she was almost afraid to delve any further. This, at least, provided ample opportunity to focus her attention elsewhere and she found the work, though tedious at times, oddly soothing.    

 

Well it was, until her quiet solitude was interrupted.

 

‘What the actual hell, Lucy? You do realize it’s Saturday night, right?” Rufus asked as he plopped down in one of the chairs surrounding the conference room table.

 

Lucy gave him a sardonic look, “Yes, Rufus…you know my job isn’t just playing tour guide during these missions…I have other work that needs to be done.”  She began scribbling down some more notes, “Besides, why are you giving me such a hard time?  You’re here too, I see.”

 

“Yeah, Jiya and I need to debug some of the systems tonight…but at least we were out and about today.”  He raised his eyebrows at her, “How long have you been here?”

 

“I don’t know” she said with a heavy sigh. "Hours."

 

Rufus leaned forward tentatively in his chair, “You’re not hiding from Wyatt, are you?”

 

“No.” Lucy said simply, “who do you think helped me bring in all of these books?” 

 

“So, I take it you guys talked then?” Rufus asked with raised eyebrows.

 

Lucy nodded silently.   

 

Rufus swiveled his chair back and forth nervously as he rubbed a hand across his face, “And…you’re okay?”

 

“Yeah,” shrugged Lucy, “Why wouldn’t I be?” 

 

“I don’t know…maybe because you look a far cry from fine…and you literally look like every cliché of the spinster librarian, sitting here in…whatever the hell this is.” Rufus observed as he looked around the table in awe, “What’s going on, Lucy?”

 

“You mean literally? I am doing research for my mother.” She sighed, “As for everything else…” She shook her head and sighed out in frustration, “Why won’t Wyatt tell me what happened?”

 

“He has his reasons.” Rufus said simply.  Lucy glared at him and Rufus threw up his hands in mock surrender, “Look, don’t shoot the messenger.  I’m just telling you he has a pretty damn good reason.”

 

 She quirked her eyebrow at him, “Can I ask you something?”

 

“That depends….is that something going to earn me an ass kicking from Wyatt?  Because if the answer is yes, my answer is no.”

 

Lucy sighed heavily, “I know about the timeline change, Rufus…okay?  I know that for three weeks Wyatt had Jessica back…all I want is to fill in some of the gaps.  I’m not looking for you to tell me anything Wyatt doesn’t want me to know.”

 

“What kind of gaps?” Rufus asked with a frown.

 

Lucy sighed and sat back from the table, “For starters?  Why does Wyatt look like he’s been through hell and back?”

 

Rufus offered her a small frown, “Because he has been through hell and back, Lucy.”

 

“So, this timeline was bad for him…even with Jessica back?”

 

“It wasn’t all bad, Lucy…” Rufus sighed, “but you know how tricky time travel is…hell, you lost your sister.”

 

‘So, Wyatt lost someone?”

 

“I did not say that.” Rufus said with a slow and punctuated shake of his head.

 

She nodded thoughtfully, “And you?  How was that timeline for you?” Lucy said with a quirked brow. 

 

Rufus shrugged, “Well, between getting shot and having my ass almost lynched at the Draft Riots, I’d say it was a hard pass.”

 

Lucy chuckled, “Yeah…I’m glad I missed those.” Rufus looked at her with narrowed eyes, “well, I mean, _this_ me.”  Lucy pursed her lips in thought, “Rufus,…why did Wyatt keep saying that Bam Bam left us alone to get a drink?”

 

Rufus chuckled darkly, “Because he did.” Lucy looked up at him in stunned disbelief, “Yeah, Bam Bam nearly got the ass kicking of a lifetime over that one.” 

 

Lucy gaped at him, “You’re kidding?” Rufus shook his head ruefully, “He actually went to get a drink on the mission?  Is that why you were shot?”

 

Rufus shook his head “No…I don’t think anything could’ve stopped that.” Rufus chuckled, But he did leave you and me in a bit of a bind.  I couldn’t walk, I was laying there in the middle of the damn street. You had to drag my ass to safety and then go track him down on your own.”

 

“And I found him at the bar?” Lucy asked

 

“No…” Rufus shook his head and chuckled, “Flynn had him by that time and you swooped in and saved him…but you got hurt in the process.”

 

“Badly?” Lucy nodded.

 

“No…you just needed stitches.” Rufus said indifferently, “not too different from what you have right now.” Rufus observed as he pointed to her head, “But boy, Wyatt was pissed.”

 

“Really?  Why?” Lucy asked innocently.

 

Rufus rolled his eyes slightly, “Well, lots of reasons, Lucy…but mostly because he thought Bam Bam was kind of an idiot leaving us the way he did.”

 

Lucy nodded thoughtfully, “Wyatt didn’t go because he was in San Diego?” Lucy asked as she swallowed hard, “Seeing Jessica?”

 

She was still curious as to how Wyatt had been chosen for the team if he was married and living happily with his wife in San Diego.  She had always assumed Wyatt had been selected because of his lack of obvious ties. It made sense, given the danger of the mission and the risk involved…it wasn’t exactly a job suited for someone who had something to lose.  Lucy understood that more than anyone.  All it took was one trip to the past to lose Amy…so why would someone who was happily married, put himself forward for such a dangerous mission?  A mission that was headquartered hours away from his home?   

 

It didn’t make any sense.

 

Rufus nodded, “Yeah, he was in San Diego, but according to Jiya he flew like a bat out of hell to get back here when he found out what happened.”

 

Lucy startled, “Why?” Lucy puzzled, “I mean, I realize you were shot, but…neither of us were _that_ hurt, were we?” She frowned as she thought over Wyatt’s actions.  Why would he leave Jessica to come back here?  He finally had her back after five years, had traveled all the way to San Diego to see her and left her, as soon as he found out about Boston?  

 

Rufus shrugged indifferently, “I told you, he was pissed.”   He wanted to kick Bam Bam’s ass a few times over….and I have to tell you, I wasn’t too pleased with the guy either.”

 

Lucy smirked, “Well, that’s understandable…for you…but for Wyatt?  Why would he leave Jessica so soon after just getting her back?”

 

Rufus cleared his throat uncomfortably and straightened up in his chair, “I don’t know…I guess he just takes his job seriously.”  

 

She frowned in thought and offered Rufus a sidelong glance, “I guess Wyatt went back to San Diego after he knew we were okay?”

 

Rufus shook his head, “Hell no, do you really think he was going to leave Bam Bam alone with you again after all of that?  I’ve seen Wyatt mad, but when Bam Bam tried to get on the Draft Riots mission, Wyatt just about lost it.. I thought Agent Christopher was going to have to get out the hose.”     

 

Lucy chuckled at the thought of Wyatt and Bam Bam fighting over who would go on the mission.  Two Delta Force soldiers each trying to prove they were the better man for the job, she could only imagine how that must have gone down.  Bam Bam undoubtedly trying to charm the Homeland Security officer, while Wyatt adamantly refusing to let Bam Bam…her eyes darted to Rufus, “What do you mean Wyatt wasn’t about to leave Bam Bam alone with _me_?” “Didn’t _you_ go on the Draft Riots mission...or did we have another pilot in that timeline?”

 

“Shit.” Rufus breathed under his breath as he squirmed out of his chair “You know what?  I think I better go see if Jiya needs my help.”

 

Lucy jumped up from the conference table and intercepted him before he made it to the door, “Rufus, why would Wyatt… _married_ Wyatt care that I was alone with Bam Bam?”

 

Rufus stood up and shook his head frantically, “Oh no…you’re not Jedi Mind Tricking me into telling you that...Wyatt would kill me.”

 

“So, there is something to tell.” Lucy sobbed as she began pacing, “Oh God.”

 

“Why don’t you just talk to Wyatt?” Rufus whined.

 

“I can’t talk to Wyatt about this.” Lucy spat out.

 

“Why not?” Rufus asked incredulously.

 

Lucy sighed as she covered her face with her hands, “I kissed him okay?”

 

“Okay…not seeing the problem here.” Rufus said matter of factly as Lucy glared at him through her fingers.  Rufus bristled, “I mean it!  Most guys would love to be kissed by women of your…” he gestured wildly towards Lucy, “ya know…I’m just saying trust me when I say that Wyatt probably doesn’t have a problem with you kissing him.”

 

“I know.” Lucy mumbled despondently, “ _That’s_ the problem.”  Rufus gaped at her in astonishment, unsure of her meaning, until she spat out in exasperation, “He’s _married_ , Rufus.”

 

Realization dawned on Rufus’ face as Lucy paced in front of him, running her hands through her hair in agitation, “Jessica is dead, Lucy.” Rufus shrugged, “Has been for five years.”

 

“No,” Lucy argued, “she was alive until you all reset the timeline…and he’s still wearing his wedding ring.” She covered her face in her hands and sobbed again, “So, why do it?  Unless there was some horrible reason...some horrible betrayal on his part that he wanted to undo?  Is that it?  Huh?  Is it?”

 

"I am not getting involved in this!" Rufus exclaimed passionately as Lucy rounded on him, "Dammit, Lucy...why the hell do you two insist on dragging me into your melodramas??"

 

"I want to know Rufus.  I deserve the truth.  Why did Wyatt reset the timeline?"

 

She had Rufus almost backed completely into the corner, hampering any chance he might have of an easy escape.  He cowered slightly under her determined gaze, painfully aware that though Lucy was tiny, she was fierce.  This was the woman who had killed Jesse James, after all.  Shot the man in the back like a cold-blooded killer...what could she do with a time machine pilot who wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know?  Rufus wanted to plead the Fifth and get the hell out of there, already cursing himself for sticking his nose into the conference room to begin with, but as his back made contact with the wall and Lucy planted her hands on either side of him, he knew he was screwed.

 

"Why. Did. Wyatt. Reset. the Timeline?" Lucy staggered out.  

 

"Because I love you."

 

Lucy completely froze as the sound of those words enveloped the air around her and made every nerve in her body buzz with an electricity that she had never known before.  She gaped at Rufus, who had, just moments before, opened his mouth to speak - though Lucy knew, just as he did, that those words had not come from him.   

 

They had come from Wyatt. 

 

Lucy turned slowly to find Wyatt standing in the doorway of the conference room gazing back at her, his hands filled with what was undoubtedly a take-out meal for two. Rufus, seeing his opportunity for escape, eased himself out of the corner and slid past Wyatt out of the conference room with an awkward, “Thank God.” before bolting down the hall as fast as his legs could carry him.

 

Wyatt tentatively made his way through the door, lifting the food containers as he did so with an uneasy chuckle, “Thought I’d just bring dinner to you.”  He set them down on the table with a sigh and rubbed a rough hand across his face.  He could barely meet her eyes as he stood awkwardly next to her, his hands nervously sliding together as he bit his lip in rueful apology, “I’m…I’m sorry I stormed out of here, earlier.  I just…I was just trying to protect you.”

 

“From what?” Lucy asked in a voice shaking with emotion as tears streamed down her face. 

 

Wyatt wanted to reach out and hold her, but the closer he advanced, the further she backed away, keeping him rooted to the spot with a steely gaze that worked like an invisible vise on his heart.  He hung his head down and sighed, “Lucy, you’ve been through so much since all of this started…I didn’t want to cause you any more pain.”

 

“You’re a bit late for that, Wyatt.” she spat out with anger in her voice. “Do you have any idea how confused I am right now?  What these past two days have been like for me?”

 

Wyatt clenched his eyes shut, “I’m sorry, Lucy…I just...I wanted a fresh start.  I didn’t want you to feel pressured or obligated in any way.”

 

Lucy shook her head at him in bewilderment, “What on Earth are you talking about, Wyatt?  Why can’t you just tell me the truth?” 

 

“Lucy, I want to tell you everything.” Wyatt said in a voice thick with emotion as he made a determined step towards her.  “But I’m telling you right now, it’s going to be one hell of a shock.”

 

“Wyatt, I came back from the Hindenburg with no father, no sister and fiancé I didn’t even know…I think I can handle whatever it is you have to tell me.”  Her voice was steady with determination, but Wyatt could see there was a fear in her eyes that spoke to something quite different than what she was projecting.

 

He had no idea where to begin, so he figured he would start where he should have started that morning. He bit his lip and slowly pulled out the ultrasound photo he had tucked away that and nodded at her seriously, “Fine.” He said softly as he held out the picture, “This ultrasound?  It’s yours… _ours_.”

 

Lucy stared at him incredulously, a flicker of annoyance shining in her eye as she spat out roughly, “That’s not funny.”

 

“I’m not trying to be funny, Lucy.” Wyatt said seriously, handing her back the ultrasound photo with a shaky voice. “This is… _was_ our baby.” 

 

Lucy let out a derisive laugh, but stopped short at the sight of Wyatt’s solemn expression.  Not a hint of a smile on his face, not even averting his gaze from hers.  “That’s…that’s not real…” she began as panic mounted in her chest, looking to Wyatt to give her some sort of assurance that this was all some sort of elaborate joke...or part of some cover story that gotten out of hand.  Her breathing got heavier as she gasped out, “no, it’s not possible…you…and I…we...we never…” 

   

“Not in this timeline…no.” Wyatt agreed.  “But in the other timeline…”

 

The solemnity of Wyatt's tone, the apology in his face and in his voice, drove the truth home like a knife to the heart.  Lucy gasped as she broke down in sobs and sank onto a chair near the table, cradling her head in her hands as she did so, wishing to God she could just disappear. Wyatt rushed forward to do his best to comfort her.  Unsure of how much affection he could show her without making her uncomfortable, he crouched down in front of her and placed a comforting hand on her knee, hoping to God she wouldn’t swat it away.  He released a small breath of relief when she allowed that bit of contact and upped the ante a bit by rubbing small circles on her leg with his thumb. Time seemed to creep by at a snail’s pace as he watched her shoulders shudder, feeling completely helpless to do anything but wait until she could compose herself enough to talk with him. 

 

He knew that this news would be hard to hear, but her reaction, though not totally unexpected, was causing Wyatt a lot of uneasiness.  He was putting himself out on the line, he told her he loved her, had just told her that they were almost parents and she had broken down in tears. He had seen _his_ Lucy’s happy tears…and while, at the time, he wasn’t sure if they were happy or sad, he knew without a doubt that this time, these were tears of sorrow.

 

When her sniffs became less frequent and her breathing steadied somewhat, Lucy lowered her hands from her face and Wyatt’s heart broke at the anguish he saw there.  Steeling himself and his heart for a complete rejection of the notion of them together he swallowed hard as he attempted to give her a reassuring smile, “Hey…are you okay?”

 

Lucy gave him a small shake of her head as more tears spilled out of her eyes and onto her cheeks. Panic and heartbreak stole through Wyatt as he waited with bated breath for her to say something…anything that would give him some idea of where he stood with her.  With a shuddering breath, Lucy straightened herself up and quickly wiped her eyes.  Her face was flushing a violent shade of red, which Wyatt believed had come from her crying, until she uttered in a small voice, “Did we have an affair?”

 

Wyatt gaped at her in shock and almost laughed out loud at her assumption.  “No!  Lucy, no…why would you…?” Wyatt had begun to ask and then he remembered, she didn’t know about Jessica.  She looked at him in complete bewilderment as hung his head down and let out a small nervous laugh.  “No, Lucy...we didn’t have an affair.”

 

Lucy looked back at him, almost disbelieving.  “How…how…?” She looked back down at the ultrasound photo, “Wyatt…I don’t understand. Jessica was alive…she’s your wife.” 

 

Wyatt shook his head, “We weren’t married, Lucy.  We had gotten divorced not long after that fight we had at the bar five years ago.”

 

“But you went to San Diego…” 

 

He stood up and walked away from her, shame written all over his face as he admitted, “I left to go to San Diego, to see her…to see if I could win her back...”

 

“Oh.” Lucy breathed out as she glanced at the ultrasound photo. “I see.” She stood up and made her way into the corner, hugging her arms protectively around herself as she shot awkward glances toward Wyatt.

 

He gave her a knowing glance, “No, Lucy…let me finish.”  He crossed over to her, reached into his pocket and pulled out the rings she had donned just the day before.  Rings she believed she had no right to be wearing, “Lucy, I was an idiot when I showed up in that timeline…and as soon as I got to San Diego, I knew I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”  Lucy looked at him in disbelief, as he held out his fist towards her.  She held out her hand tentatively and gasped as Wyatt dropped the silver rings onto her trembling palm.  “I shouldn’t have gone after Jessica, Lucy.” He hung his head down as tears formed in his eyes, “I should’ve been here with you…my wife.”

 

Thunderstruck with awe, Lucy couldn't move...the rings she had worn, the rings that had caused her such mortification were now lying in her palm and declared hers. She stood there, in a state of complete shock, her eyes darting from the rings in her hand, to Wyatt and then back again, hardly daring to believe that it was she, not Jessica, who had claim to these symbols of devotion.  Lucy's breath was coming in short, shallow pants as a flood of emotion washed over her.  She opened her mouth several times to speak, but found that words wouldn't come.  When she finally managed to articulate something a simple, “What?” was all she could gasp out in disbelief.

 

“You were my wife, Lucy. Not Jessica.” Wyatt reaffirmed firmly.  “I walked into my apartment after that mission to Vegas in 1963, and you were there.” he smiled sadly at the memory.  "I was an ass." he admitted ruefully, "but that shouldn't surprise you." 

 

Breathing hard, Lucy stared at the rings shining in her shaking hand.  She and Wyatt had been married…and expecting a baby.  Never in any of her wildest imaginings could she have dreamed up something like this.  A single tear escaped her eye as she took in a shuddering breath and looked up at Wyatt who was gazing at her with an intensity that nearly made her knees give out.  Unable to bear the heat of his gaze, she cast her eyes to the floor and asked quietly, “Were we happy?”

 

Wyatt let out a strangled sob, “Yeah.”

 

Unable to control the emotions now battling their way to the surface, Lucy sobbed, “Then why?” in a quavering voice as more tears fell rapidly down her face. She couldn’t elaborate more than that, but she didn’t need to, Wyatt knew with a pang of dread what she was asking. Why did he reset the timeline if Jessica was alive and he was happily married to Lucy? Wrapping her up in his arms, he held her close as she closed her fist around the rings and cried into his shoulder. "Why?" she managed to gasp out once more as Wyatt pulled away from her, reluctantly.

 

His face was twisted in anguish, knowing that he was about to deal a devastating blow...not only to Lucy, but to himself.  Reliving that awful day...remembering with graphic detail how she felt against him as he carried her lifeless body back to the LifeBoat...this was going to be hell.

 

Taking his hesitancy as resistance, Lucy pleaded, "Wyatt...please.  Tell me what happened." 

 

It was now Wyatt’s turn to cry and as he turned away from her and hung his head down, the palms of his hands bracing himself against the conference room table.  “Um…we had gotten back from the Draft Riots…a little more worse for wear that usual.” He let out a shuddering sigh as he continued, “The next morning, Flynn took out the Mothership to Johnstown, Pennsylvania." He swallowed hard as he heard a sharp intake of breath from Lucy.

 

“The flood…Henry Clay Frick...so, that’s why you kn...” Lucy began, but he waved her off with a half-hearted lift of his hand. 

 

After taking several steadying breaths, Wyatt continued, "He jumped there twice in one day…and uh…we missed the first one.”  He shook his head through his tears, “It was my fault,” he scoffed, “I turned off the damn phones.  If we had made that first jump, we would've known sooner."  He gave her a small smile with an affirming nod, "You would've figured it out sooner."  

 

Lucy felt as if she was holding a breath waiting for Wyatt to finish, but instead of continuing, he pushed himself away from the table with a huff and began pacing the room in agitation, angry at himself, angry about the mission, Lucy wasn't quite sure.  She reached out a tentative hand to him, which caused him to pause as he slowly threaded her fingers in his.   

 

“You were brilliant..." Wyatt muttered quietly, "...but it was too late” Wyatt frowned as he scoffed miserably, “he busted that dam a day early.”

 

Lucy gasped, “That would have been during the Memorial Day celebration.”  Lucy placed her hand on his shoulder, “Wyatt, all those people…” she swallowed hard as the stark reality of what had happened hit her full force, “It was bad, wasn’t it?”

 

He turned away from her, unable to look her in the eye as he admitted woefully, “Yeah…it was hell.”

 

She nodded in understanding as she began to pace behind him, breathing out in astonishment, “Oh my God…the timeline, of course, would’ve been catastrophic.  I mean Victor Heiser became a doctor – he saved over two million lives when he developed a treatment for leprosy.  That kind of impact on the timeline…” she raised a shaking hand to her brow, “Of course, you would’ve needed to change things.  Why would you think I’d be upset about that?”  She turned Wyatt to face her so she could offer him a reassuring smile, but it faded when she saw that he was looking at her with heartbroken despair. 

 

Not daring to believe what was becoming more and more obvious by the way Wyatt’s lip trembled, and by the tears that were once again pooling in his eyes, Lucy looked to him for some sort of reassurance that her sudden fears were wrong and totally exaggerated, “Wyatt…” she pleaded in a voice that was barely audible, “that is why you reset the timeline, right?”

 

As he shook his head slowly and ruefully at her question, Lucy blanched and fumbled backwards. Steadying herself finally on the conference room table before finally succumbing to the shaking in her knees and sinking down into a chair. Desperately trying to control her breathing, that was now coming in short, gasping pants, Lucy shook her head furiously as if to convince herself that there had to be another reason why Wyatt and Rufus would come back to this timeline without her...

 

As if trying to make amends for what he viewed as a deadly error on his part, Wyatt pleaded, “I tried to keep you safe, Lucy.  I’m so sorry.” he gasped out through his tears.  Wyatt paced nervously in an attempt to compose himself as silent tears rolled down Lucy’s cheeks, “Rufus and I found you…but…uh…there was nothing I could do. You had lost so much blood.”

 

Lucy took in a shuddering breath as the full weight of that horrible truth came barreling down upon her like a devastating tidal wave.  Every nerve in her body seemed to be on edge as fear and panic overtook her.  She raised a shaking hand to her head and she scrambled out of her chair as she cried out frantically, “Oh my God.  I…I died.”  She looked at Wyatt, who refused to meet her gaze, "I died...didn't I?" She paced the room like a caged animal, agitated and nervous, wringing her hands as she sought to come to grips with the horrifying revelation, “I’m…I’m not supposed to be here." she gasped out in a strangled sob,  "This isn’t right, I’m supposed to be dead.”  

 

Wyatt was at her side in the next moment, pulling her into a tight embrace kissing her head frantically, “No, Lucy.” Wyatt gritted out as he pulled away from her, cupping her tear-stained face with both of his hands forcing her to look at him, “Don’t even think it…not even for a second.  You are supposed to be here, dammit." he maintained fiercely, "It was my damn fault…I screwed with the timeline to begin with…”Wyatt's own tears and over wrought emotions battled their way to the forefront as he added with a strangled sob, "you would have never died if it wasn't for me."

 

Lucy gripped onto his shoulders as he pulled her close once more.  It was all she could do to hold onto Wyatt and cry, she felt incapable of doing much else.  Wyatt had said he hadn’t told her in order to protect her…and now she understood why. To know that she had died…that she… _they_ had lost a child in the process was almost too much to bear.  She almost wished she was still blissfully ignorant of the what he had suffered through during that time, but now everything suddenly made perfect and horrific sense.  Wyatt’s reaction to her when he arrived at Stanford, his protectiveness over her on the missions, his anger at Noah, the way he looked like he hadn’t slept or eaten in days…

 

“How long, Wyatt?” Lucy asked quietly, not even sure she wanted the answer. 

 

He pulled away from her slightly and rested his forehead against hers, “To be honest,” he sighed heavily, “I really don’t know, Lucy.  A couple days.” He frowned as grazed her cheek with his fingertips, “I was a complete mess…until I found a way to save you.”

 

She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and muttered, “You still are.” 

 

“You got that right, ma’am.” He breathed out in relief as he tugged her closer.  He wasn’t sure how long they stood together like that, just holding onto each other for dear life, anchoring each other, here…to this timeline. As much as Wyatt missed and regretted what could have been in that other life he shared with the Lucy he had mourned, he was beyond grateful that he had this one to start life anew with the Lucy he had fallen in love with in the first place. 

 

“Wyatt?” Lucy’s voice sounded oddly muffled and mechanical as she muttered against his shoulder, “how did you do it?”

 

He pulled back away from her with a sigh and sought out her dark brown eyes.  He wanted her to see that he in no way regretted his decision, “I went back to Vegas, the day after we were there in ‘62 and burned that damn telegram.”

 

“So, Jessica…”

 

“She never got it.” Wyatt nodded seriously at Lucy whose face fell into a despondent frown as she realized what that meant.  She owed her life to Jessica.  As if he could sense what she was thinking, Wyatt added solemnly, “But Lucy, you should know, I said my good-byes…and I don’t regret a damn thing.” His eyes bore into hers as he gritted out, “I. love. _you_.” 

 

Tears filled Lucy’s eyes as the phrase she thought she would never hear from Wyatt was suddenly crashing against her senses and making its way into the deepest recesses of her heart. He had saved her...he had risked everything to save her life….because he loved her.  She felt suddenly lightheaded and giddy and was so grateful for the fact that Wyatt was so strong and steady…her source of strength, just as he had always been…keeping her grounded, keeping her safe.  Nodding her head as tears fell freely down her cheeks, Lucy breathed out, “I love you, too.”  

 

At her admission, Wyatt’s felt like his heart would burst open with unfathomable joy.  He caressed her face with his soft yet calloused hand and smiled at her in a way that absolutely took Lucy’s breath away.  She had never seen him looking so happy and carefree.  Gone was the weight of five years of guilt that had hung around him like a millstone.  This was Wyatt as she had never seen him and even if she wasn’t the one currently wrapped in his arms, the sight of him looking so blissful would have been enough to make her unfailingly happy for him.  That moment of unparalleled delight however, was short-lived when a dark voice in her head whispered that this was all wrong…that Jessica was his “one and only”.  She swallowed hard as she shook her head despondently, almost afraid that this was all some sort of crazy dream, “But Wyatt…she was your…”

 

“Don’t you dare say lightning bolt, Lucy…” Wyatt huffed out as he tugged her closer, “because from where I’m standing you are like the whole damn power grid.”   

 

Unable to contain herself any longer, Lucy wrapped her arms around Wyatt’s neck and pulled him into a searing kiss.  Months of repressing this unholy desire had unleashed a hunger that would not be satisfied. Lucy threw everything she had into her kisses and Wyatt gave as good as he got.  Sure, she had kissed him twice before, but neither the kiss in front of Bonnie and Clyde nor the kiss earlier in his apartment, had felt anything like this. Before she knew what was happening her back was against the wall as Wyatt abandoned her mouth to kiss the long column of her neck.  She gasped out in pleasure as he pressed against her and groaned when his hands traveled under her shirt and touched the bare skin of her back.  His lips were on hers again and she thought she might just die all over again from being kissed senseless by Wyatt.

 

Caught up in the joy of having her in his arms again to hold, to kiss, to love, Wyatt kissed her with reckless abandon, breaking from her long enough only to gasp out, “God, Lucy…I missed you so much.”

 

Suddenly, a thousand different bells were going off in Lucy’s head, but the loudest one ringing was a memory from the night before of a drunken Wyatt claiming smugly that she had looked just as beautiful in her dress as she did out of it _._   That revelation coupled with this most recent utterance was enough to make it obscenely clear to Lucy that Wyatt missing her wasn’t necessarily in the platonic sense of the word.   “Wait a minute…” Lucy muttered as she pulled out of his embrace. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Wyatt asked breathlessly.  His kiss swollen lips and flushed face nearly made Lucy swoon, but she shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts as she fought to compose herself.  

 

“When you say married…how married were we?”

 

Wyatt tried, but failed to hide a devilish grin.  He cleared his throat and with as serious an expression as he could muster, he muttered, “I’m sorry, but I don’t kiss and tell, ma’am.”

 

Lucy raised her eyebrows at him, keenly aware of what he was implying.  Her cheeks flushed pink as she breathed out, “Oh…” she stepped away from him sheepishly and gulped nervously, before adding, “so, I’m sort of at a disadvantage?”

 

“I don’t think you could _ever_ be at a disadvantage, Lucy.” Wyatt smirked as he snaked his arms around her waist and kissed along her jaw.  “But just between you and me, ma’am” he pressed his forehead against hers and muttered in a low voice, “you had me at a disadvantage in the other timeline.” He shot her a wicked grin, “So fair is fair.”

  

Lucy answered by pulling him in for another searing kiss, getting lost in every sensation he elicited from her as he wrapped himself around her once more.  This was everything she had ever dreamed of, everything she had ever wanted since that kiss in 1934 that was never supposed to happen.

 

Thank God for Bonnie and Clyde.

 

“I see you two are right back where you left off.” Rufus’ voice called from the doorway.

 

“Go away, Rufus.” Wyatt murmured against Lucy’s lips as she giggled.

 

“Alright, well I hate to be the bearer of bad news…but Flynn has jumped again.”  Wyatt and Lucy groaned in concert as Rufus continued, “And I feel like now is a good time to remind you both that the LifeBoat is strictly G-rated.”

 

Wyatt pulled back from Lucy with a nod as Lucy looked from Rufus to Wyatt with a curious expression on her face, “What’s he talking about, Wyatt?”

 

Wyatt smirked at her, “You’ll see.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe that something I started as a reluctant fic has grown to this proportion. I know I sound like a broken record when I say this, but holy goodness, I almost scrapped this fic entirely when I was three chapters in. A chance traffic jam on a family vacation had me pulling out my laptop to pass the time and I wrote chapters 4 & 5 and finally decided that I had put enough time into it, that I might as well put it out for the jury. 
> 
> To those of you who have cheerleaded this story along. BLESS YOU. You have no idea how much your words mean to me. It was YOU who made this fic what it is....and I cannot express to you my gratitude for helping me get out of my comfort zone of non-fiction research and delve into the wonderful world of fiction. It has been my HONOR to write this story for you...it started as a crazy idea and just grew...and every time I sat in front of my laptop I got giddy thinking up ways that I could entertain you for a short while. 
> 
> So many of you have remarked how much this story has meant to you and I am so touched by that...honestly and truly. I'm just a housewife and a mom..and to think that something I do to pass the time has any kind of positive impact on your life truly amazes and humbles me. 
> 
> I thank you again and again for your kind words, for you friendship and for your support.


	36. EPILOGUE PART 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! 
> 
> Remember when I said that I MAY do an epilogue for Torrent? Well, I started it almost immediately after writing Chapter 35 and had every intention of publishing it around Christmas...but then life happened...and well, obviously I'm a bit behind. To be honest, I wrote about 5K words (all of this first portion and part of the next one) of it and then set it aside to work on other things....especially after it became clear that I was not going to meet the Christmas and the later, New Years deadline I had set for myself. 
> 
> You'll notice that this epilogue, therefore, is very holiday centric....and that is why. You'll also notice that this is Part 1. I knew that this epilogue was going to be long, but it has now reached epic proportions (I'm closing in on 20k words) and I did not want to hit you with all of that at once - it just seems a bit much for one reading. Besides, as many of you know, I despise proofing GIANT works, so releasing bits of it in installments just seems to work better for me and my own sanity. 
> 
> That said, I hope that you enjoy this first section. It's been completed for so long, and I am just so happy that it's finally going to see the light of day, as it were. 
> 
> You all have been so supportive of this story and I just want you to know how very much it means to me. 
> 
> P.S. Those of you reading What Might Have Been, expect a new chapter in the next day or so. 
> 
> Happy Reading.

Wyatt raised a gloved finger to his lips as Lucy and Rufus crouched behind a nearby tree watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to make their move.   The icy wind blew like a hurricane, cutting through them like a sharp knife.  Though laden down with thick, woolen cloaks, Rufus and Lucy huddled together seeking out added warmth as they observed the scene at McConkey’s Ferry.  

 

In the distance, they could see Washington’s men, laboring under the heavy Durham boats they were desperately attempting to position in the ice-choked waters of the Delaware river. It was Christmas night and the American forces were preparing a surprise attack on the British and Hessian forces surrounding Trenton.  

 

“Are you sure Flynn isn’t going to be on the other side waiting for them?” Wyatt asked Lucy in a hushed voice. 

 

“Yes.” Lucy whispered back, “the Hessians are warned by American loyalists that an attack is imminent…but they do nothing.”

 

“Why?” asked Rufus, “I mean, I get I’m not Delta Force over here,” he pointed towards Wyatt who acknowledged him with a nod, “but if someone came along and told me that a damn army was preparing to come kick my ass, I would…ya know, look into it.”

 

“There’s lots of reasons Rufus.” Lucy rolled her eyes in annoyance.  “The ice being one of them.  In fact, there were supposed to be three crossings in total, but the other two crossings fail.  Washington’s artillery doesn’t even make it across until 3AM.  Besides, if you haven’t noticed this weather isn’t exactly ideal for a boat ride.” she muttered as she shivered violently.

 

“Okay…that’s _one_ reason.” Rufus acknowledged as he warmed his hands with his breath and rubbed them together, “what’s the other reason?”

 

Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Wyatt’s quiet voice, “It’s Christmas.” He muttered simply as he offered an impressed Lucy a small smile.   

 

“That’s right.” Lucy acknowledged.  “There’s sort of an unwritten code of warfare that you just don’t…do stuff like this on Christmas.”

 

“Yeah, seems like a pretty dick move.” Rufus agreed with a shiver.

 

“Yes, well it helped ensure that Washington was successful, didn’t it?  The Hessians are taken completely by surprise tomorrow morning. It’s a significant victory for Washington.” Lucy breathed out, pulling her shawl closer around her shoulders as a bitterly cold gust of wind rushed through the Eastern Pennsylvania hillside overlooking the river.  Their breath, visible on the chilled air, rose in wisps in front of their chapped lips and red noses. 

 

“Well what the hell is Flynn waiting on?” Rufus asked through chattering teeth.  “You sure he’s not pulling a 1754 and just led us here to fr…freeze to death?”

 

Wyatt raised his eyebrows and turned his gaze to Lucy who had her hands shoved in the folds of her cloak. She met his eyes and gave an apologetic shrug, obviously as clueless as the rest of them as to Flynn’s motivations. “He’s got a point, Lucy.”  Wyatt observed.  “How do we know this isn’t another one of Flynn’s traps?”

 

“We d -don’t.” Lucy stuttered out as she shivered violently. “B…but th-this is a very im..important event. We c..can’t risk F…Flynn ch..changing anything.” She huffed a breath into her gloved hands and rubbed them together before tucking them back in the folds of her cloak, “T…timing is everything tonight.  Washington’s already going to be three hours behind schedule when he arrives on the other side of the river.” Lucy explained.  “Once they get there, it’s another 10-mile march to Trenton, in all of this ice and snow.  He c…cannot” Lucy sneezed violently before continuing, “be delayed any longer or it could mean disaster.”

 

Wyatt crossed over to her and crouched down, taking her frozen hands in his and pressing his lips to them, his face etched in concern.  “Lucy, we need to get you someplace warm.  Why don’t you go over to the inn and wait for us there?”   

 

Lucy gaped at him, “Absolutely not!” She protested as Wyatt rubbed her hands in his.  “I thought we agreed, where you go, I go.”

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt argued, “that was for the missions and you know it.  It has nothing to do with what happens _on_ the missions.” 

 

Lucy shook her head at him firmly, “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

 

“Well if you aren’t going to go to the inn, can I?” Rufus asked through chattering teeth.

 

Wyatt cast Rufus an annoyed look and heaved out a breath, “Okay...look, I’m going to go down there,” Lucy made to argue, but Wyatt lifted his finger and continued on, “you can follow me, but I want you to stay out of sight, alright?  Both of you.” He added with a look towards Rufus.  “If I can warn them that there might be trouble then maybe we won’t have to hang around here for whenever Flynn decides to show up.”

 

“B…But Wyatt…” Lucy protested again.

 

“Lucy, we’re gonna catch our death out here in this storm.  I think we can trust that Washington and his men can take care of themselves.”

 

“Against modern weapons?” Lucy chided, “Are you being serious?” 

 

“Lucy,” Wyatt moaned, “What do you want me to do?  Rufus is right, we’re gonna freeze to death out here if Flynn doesn’t show up soon.”

 

“We c-can’t risk the Battle of Trenton…it’s t-too important.” Lucy maintained through clenched teeth.

 

“If they have another 10 miles to march after crossing the Delaware, Flynn could sabotage them at any point between here and there.”  Wyatt argued. “What do you want to do?   Follow them the whole way to New Jersey?”

 

Lucy looked up at Wyatt with pleading eyes giving him an indiscernible shrug. 

 

Letting out a resigned sigh he stood up, pulling Lucy to her feet with him, “C’mon Rufus, we’re gonna head down there.”

 

“Dammit.” Rufus muttered as he begrudgingly got to his feet, “I had a feeling you were gonna say that…though I have to give you props, Wyatt…there for a minute I was thinking you had her convinced to pack it up and go home.”

 

“You don’t know me very well, do you Rufus?” Lucy asked as Wyatt wrapped his arm around her shoulders in an attempt to shield her from the blowing wind. 

 

“Not as well as Wyatt” Rufus admitted with a half shrug.  “Alright, so we get our asses down there and what?  Tell Washington that we’re just three wandering Patriots, out for a midnight stroll in the middle of a damn snowstorm…and hey, by the way, do you mind if we tag along with you to New Jersey?”

 

Wyatt and Lucy weren't listening, however.  They were already making their way down the sloping hill towards the ice-choked Delaware River.  The sounds of the soldiers readying themselves for the crossing were suddenly audible above the howl of the wind.  Wyatt settled them behind a tall evergreen, the full boughs shielding them from view as they took in the scene. 

 

Oh, so we’re just gonna freeze behind another tree?” Rufus observed irritably, “I don’t know what was wrong with the one we were already freezing behind.”

 

“I’m trying to get a feel for the situation, Rufus.” Wyatt muttered as he peered through the tree limbs. “It’s war. I’d rather not sneak up on an army in the middle of their clandestine operation…or would you like to have another musket ball fished out of your ass?”

 

“It wasn’t my ass, thank you very much…it was my leg.” Rufus corrected.  “And no, I’ll pass on getting shot, but if it will get me home quicker, then I might just consider it.”  Another icy gust blew through the trees causing the three of them to huddle closer together, shivering in a cluster of hats and cloaks. “Holy shit,” Rufus observed as the wind ceased it’s punishing assault on the trio, “I think it’s colder down here.”

  

Lucy rolled her eyes at Rufus, while taking his hands and rubbing them in her own gloved ones. 

 

A boisterous voice sounded over the howling wind causing them turn their attention back to the soldiers. “That’ll be Henry Knox” Lucy whispered as she nodded to the portly man shouting orders to the troops now loading themselves into the boats, “Washington put him in charge of this whole operation.  You can understand why.” Lucy noted as Henry Knox’s voice rang loud and clear through the night. 

 

“The man can definitely give an order, I’ll give you that.” Wyatt quipped as he scanned the scene in front of them.  There were small fires dotted throughout the American encampment.  Not that it seemed to be doing any of them much good.  The river was so choked with ice, soldiers were breaking it apart with anything they could find in an attempt to set the Durham boats in the water so that they could begin to make their way across. From this perspective, the whole situation looked almost hopeless. “They must be desperate as hell to make an assault in this weather.” Wyatt murmured.

Lucy nodded solemnly, “This crossing is so important to the war.  Most of these soldiers don’t even have shoes…their feet are wrapped in shirts and towels.  When they seize Trenton from the Hessians tomorrow, they gain…”

 

“A shitload of supplies.” Wyatt nodded in understanding. 

 

“Plus, it’s a strategic victory.  Not only is _this_ a significant victory for Washington, but it sets him up later for victory at Princeton which essentially causes Cornwallis to evacuate New Jersey.” Lucy muttered.

 

“I thought Flynn was trying to “save America” isn’t that what he told you?” Wyatt asked Lucy with a huff as she nodded.  “So why the hell would he want to screw up something so damn important?”

 

“It could be that he just wants to take out someone…I mean there’s a lot of important people here. Henry Knox, George Washington, James Monroe, Alexander Hamilton…”

 

“Alexander Hamilton!” Rufus yelled out excitedly as Wyatt and Lucy desperately shushed him.  “Are you telling me that my man Hamilton is out there right now?”

 

“Yes” Lucy hissed out, annoyed.  “And as much as I hate to admit it he _does_ play an important role in American history.”

 

“Care to say that again, Lucy?  I don’t think I heard you properly.” Rufus asked with a devilish gleam in his eye. Lucy, however, just glared back at him as Wyatt rolled his eyes.  “Uh-huh…that’s what I thought you said.”

 

“Will you knock it off?” Wyatt gritted out as he glared between the two of them.  “We have a job to do.”

 

“Really?  Because right now I don’t feel like we’re doing a job. Right now, I think I’m sitting behind a damn tree in 1776, freezing my ass off, waiting for Flynn who may or may not show up.  He’s probably at home right now, sipping on some egg nog and laughing his ass off.  

 

“Are you going to whine all night?” Wyatt spat out irritably.  

 

“No,” Rufus said matter of factly, “I’m not gonna whine all night…we’re gonna freeze to death before that happens!”

 

“Guys?” Lucy called out, but Wyatt and Rufus continued arguing. 

 

“We’re not gonna freeze to death, Rufus.  You see those men over there?  They’ve got towels strapped to their damn feet, do you hear them complaining?”

 

“Guys!?” Lucy called again. 

 

“They’re used to this shit weather…I may have grown up in Chicago, I might even have suffered through a few winters at MIT, but I didn’t camp out in it!”

 

GUYS!?” Lucy shouted at them as they both looked towards her in surprise.  “We’ve got company.”  Lucy’s arms were raised slightly as Wyatt turned around to follow Lucy’s line of sight. Sure enough, Garcia Flynn and his merry band of assholes had emerged from a grove of trees just a few feet away and had their guns pointed directly at them.  With all the blustering wind and snow, they had completely missed him. 

 

Wyatt breathed out a curse and rolled his eyes as he raised his own arms and positioned himself defensively in front of Lucy.  No way in hell was he about to let that sonofabitch hurt her.  “What the hell do you want, Flynn?” Wyatt barked out angrily. 

 

“Would you believe me if I told you I was just stopped by to wish you a Merry Christmas?” Flynn asked silkily.

 

Wyatt, Rufus and Lucy exchanged doubtful looks before responding, “No” in perfect unison. 

 

Flynn chuckled, “I don’t blame you…given our run-ins over the past year, but even  _I_ can be generous at Christmas.”  He smiled at them menacingly, “If you leave now, I’ll let you go in peace.  No one needs to get hurt, no one needs to suffer in this damned blizzard any more than they already have.” Flynn said with a pointed look at Rufus, “Consider it my Christmas gift to you.”

 

“Gee, thanks.”  Rufus responded glumly.  “But I would have preferred if you would have…ya know, just let us have a nice Christmas dinner at home, without dragging our asses out into an 18thcentury blizzard.”

 

Flynn chuckled darkly before he remarked with a smug grin, “You didn’t have to follow me here, Rufus. That was _your_ choice.   You have a choice now, you all can go home and…”

 

Lucy gritted her teeth against the biting wind, “And leave you to ruin one of the most important and celebrated events in American history?”

 

Flynn frowned as he shrugged slightly, “I’ve told you…I’m only interested in ridding the world of Rittenhouse.  This is war and” he chuckled dryly, “I seem to have won this battle.  I could’ve killed you, but in keeping with the spirit of the season, I’m giving you the chance to walk away right now.  Live to fight another day.”

 

Rufus shivered as he lowered his arms to hug them around his body, “Yeah, you’re a regular old St. Nick.”  

 

Flynn laughed again and as he did so, Wyatt quickly and quietly reached behind Lucy and gripped onto a large branch that had been felled by fierce wind.  As miserable as it was to be out in blizzard-like conditions, the weather was definitely working towards their advantage.  Flynn and his men closing their eyes and bending their heads against the onslaught of sleet and snow that was barreling into them as they held the team hostage.  Wyatt whispered into Lucy’s ear.  “Keep him talking.”

 

Seeing the determination in Wyatt’s eye and sensing the movement of the branch behind her, Lucy raised her voice so that it could be heard above the howling wind, “You really think I’m going to stand by and let you stop Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware? Do you have any idea what kind of impact that will have on history if this doesn’t happen tonight?”

 

“Who said I’m trying to stop it?” Flynn asked with a look of affected shock.

 

Lucy stared back at him incredulously, “Don’t tell me you have a target?”  she scoffed, “you could have chosen any point in time to go after any one of these men…but you chose tonight?”

 

Flynn smiled at her, “Of course, I thought given the circumstances…weather conditions, you might be persuaded to stay home.  But I see you aren’t so easily dissuaded from your directive to maintain the status quo.”

 

Lucy bristled, whether from the cold or from anger at Flynn’s words, she really wasn’t sure but one look at Wyatt had her wracking her brain for something else to say, “Our history may not be perfect, Flynn…but it’s ours.  What you are doing…it’s not right.”

 

Another gust of wind had Flynn and his men bracing themselves against the piercing cold which gave Wyatt the opening he needed.  In one swift move, he wrenched the tree branch up and over Lucy’s head and knocked Flynn’s closest henchmen to the ground, screaming at Rufus and Lucy to run. Pulling out his own gun now as he dodged a bullet sent his way by Flynn himself, Wyatt positioned himself behind another tree taking careful aim while Lucy and Rufus sprinted towards the river where Washington’s soldiers were still attempting to cross the ice-choked Delaware. 

 

Wyatt fired off several shots as Flynn and his men attempted to make their way towards him.  Sheltered as he was by the large trees, Wyatt was sufficiently protected from Flynn’s assaults but he knew without obtaining another weapon, he was going to have a hell of a time keeping Flynn at bay.  He had just made a resolution to make a run for it and join Lucy and Rufus when a series of loud shouts, followed by the crack of a several muskets drew his attention to the river. 

 

There was Lucy and Rufus with a large group of soldiers. pointing excitedly towards the trees. His feeling of relief at seeing them however, was suddenly and painfully cut short as a searing pain exploded in his side and sent him tumbling to the ground. 

 

“No!  Wyatt!!” Lucy cried as she came racing towards him. Grunting in pain and motioning for her to take cover as Flynn’s men opened fire, Wyatt eased himself over to the shelter of the trees, allowing the Continental soldiers to continue their volley against Flynn.  Propping himself up on his elbow, he pressed his hand over the wound in his side, feeling at once the warm damp of blood that had oozed onto his woolen shirt.

 

Shit. 

 

Covering her head with her hands as she crouched down next to a tree a few yards away, Lucy was desperate to get to Wyatt but the almost constant eruption of gunfire all around her, kept her pinned to the spot.  Besides, anytime she moved away from the protection offered by the large oak tree, Rufus would grasp her firmly by the arm and pull her back to safety.  Wyatt may be injured…but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t still kick Rufus’ ass if anything happened to Lucy.  

 

A cry from Flynn and the subsequent chase given by the Continental soldiers gave Lucy the opportunity she needed to rush towards Wyatt’s side.  As the soldiers spread out with bayonets fixed on their muskets, Lucy and Rufus scrambled over to Wyatt who was grimacing in pain and looking unsettlingly pale. 

 

“Oh my God, Wyatt.” Lucy sobbed as she reached his side and ran shaking hands over him, “How bad is it?”

 

“About as bad as the last time.” Wyatt grunted out through clenched teeth as he attempted to sit up. 

 

Lucy and Rufus exchanged serious looks.  “I hope you’re not expecting me to operate on your again,” Rufus uttered tentatively, “it’s not that I don’t want to save your life but since I can’t even feel my damn fingers, I don’t think I’d be much help.”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “Just get me the hell out of here.”  He made to stand up but faltered and leaned against the tree for support.

 

“Do you think you can walk that far?” Lucy asked in a voice quaking with worry.  “It has to be almost two miles to the LifeBoat.”

     

Wyatt look towards Rufus, helplessly, “I can’t do it on my own.”

 

Rufus shrugged, “It’ll be like that time in Boston…that neither of you were there for….well, technically Lucy was but…you know what I mean.” He muttered awkwardly as he draped Wyatt’s arm around his shoulder and wrapped his arm around Wyatt’s waist.  Lucy mimicked the action on the other side, hugging Wyatt as he wrapped his arm around her for added support. 

 

“Keep your eyes peeled for Flynn” Wyatt murmured in warning as they set off together. 

 

“Don’t worry about him.” Rufus said triumphantly, “My man Hamilton is taking care of him.”

 

Lucy scoffed, “It wasn’t _just_ Alexander Hamilton, Rufus…if you didn’t notice, there were about 15 other men with him.”

 

 “Same difference, Lucy.  _He_ sent them over to help us, didn’t he?”

 

“Only because I told him they were Hessian spies sent by Colonel Johann Rall to see if the rumors about an attack were true.”

 

“Good thinking, Lucy.” Wyatt gasped out as they began climbing up hill.  He tightened his grip on her arm and she hugged him tighter, the icy wind blasts piercing through them like daggers, but they couldn’t stop; Wyatt was already faltering as it was and Lucy’s worry went to full blown panic when he slumped his weight onto her small shoulders.

 

“Wyatt?” Lucy called out anxiously.  He grunted in response which eased her fears slightly, but she knew they needed to get him back home as quickly as possible.  “Just hang on,” she breathed out, “we’re almost there.”   

 

With chapped faces, stinging hands, and feet throbbing from the cold, the desperate trio finally laid eyes on the LifeBoat.  Picking up their pace as much as they could, being laden down with Wyatt’s solid form between them, Lucy and Rufus found that they were dragging Wyatt the rest of the way.  Terrified that he had lost consciousness, Lucy fixed her attention to the metal sphere that was now partially blanketed in a cover of snow.  She couldn’t afford to lose her mind with worry now…not when they were so close to being home.

 

Hardly feeling the weight of Wyatt now, Lucy tightened her grip around Wyatt’s waist and pressed herself more firmly against his chest as she plowed her way towards the time machine. The sound of the steady beat of Wyatt’s heart set her mind at ease, but she was not going to let that comforting sound ease up her current pace.  Wyatt needed medical attention and he needed it fast.  There was no way to know just how badly injured he was, and the fact that he was no longer moving his feet was enough to make her admonish Rufus for not keeping up. 

 

“I’m moving as fast as I can, Lucy.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t feel my feet anymore.” Rufus complained between heavy breaths as they reached finally reached the LifeBoat. 

 

“How are we going to do this?” Lucy asked in desperation, suddenly realizing that dragging Wyatt through the snowy woods was a little different than hoisting him up into the time machine. 

 

Rufus opened his mouth to comment, but Wyatt’s voice, weak and soft, cut him off abruptly.  “I can do it.” he maintained.

 

“Are you sure?”  Lucy asked with concern. “Wyatt, you’re so pale…Rufus and I…”she began but one look at Rufus convinced her that he believed that between the two of them they would have a hard time getting Wyatt into the Lifeboat. 

 

Grunting only in reply, Wyatt braced himself against the time machine, still supported on either side by Rufus and Lucy.  Twisting his face in determination, he gripped onto the doorframe and with what seemed like the last of his strength, hoisted himself up into LifeBoat.  Rufus clambered up quickly after him and helped him to his seat.  Once settled, Lucy climbed in after them, casting a fearful look at Wyatt who was slumped in his chair and breathing heavily.

 

Not wasting anytime, Lucy buckled herself in, doing her best to keep her rising panic in check. “Rufus?” she called out in a quavering voice, “how soon before we can get out of here?”

 

“Shouldn’t be too long now,” Rufus called over his shoulder as he punched in the rest of the coordinates. Lucy’s stomach dropped as a loud scraping screech and a series of loud cracks reached her ears, turning quickly to Rufus with a terrified gaze, he gave her a nervous, but reassuring smile, “It’s just the ice on the rings.  They’re just breaking free…nothing to worry about.” he chuckled lightly before muttering under his breath, “I hope.”

 

“I heard that.” Lucy muttered as her hands faltered.  Wyatt groaned again and Lucy cried out in fear, “Rufus?!  Are we going to make it home or not?” 

 

A few more loud squeaks and groans of metal and the Lifeboat finally began buzzing as usual.  Lucy let out a shaky breath as Wyatt, pale and sweating offered her a wan smile.  “That ought to do it.” Rufus called out happily, “We’re going home.”


	37. EPILOGUE PART 2

Leaning against the large window sill, Lucy looked out onto the picturesque canvas of the California coastline.  It had been a pleasant day, particularly for the time of year, and sail boats were making their way back to port before the sun sank lower on the horizon.  There were already dark orange and purple hues stretching across the sky.  Evening was falling fast and with it, a buzz of excitement for what the next day would bring.  In the streets below, Lucy could see the bustling crowds, people laden with packages, scuttling along in their last-minute, anxious attempts to complete their Christmas shopping.

 

Lucy was anxious for another reason.

 

Stealing a glance behind her, Wyatt was resting comfortably, which should have set her heart and mind at ease…but it didn’t.

 

When they had been called in during the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning to chase Flynn to December 25, 1776, she was, just as Wyatt and Rufus had been, upset at the prospect of missing out on the Christmas celebrations they had been planning for weeks. Things at Mason were getting tense, there were new government agents attempting to take over the operational aspect of the missions and Lucy…well, she had just been hit with the biggest bombshell of her life. 

 

Her biological father, Benjamin Cahill, was Rittenhouse. 

 

He was not the father she knew and loved as a child.  No, this man was almost a stranger to her.  A pediatric surgeon and by all accounts, an upstanding citizen and leader of the community who was loved and respected far and wide.  But to Rufus, he would always be the “creepy ass white guy who threatened his family.”  At their clandestine briefing with Agent Christopher _,_ Rufus had said, _Flynn may be a murdering psychopath and time-traveling terrorist, but at least he owns up to that title instead of pretending to be Mr. Rogers like Lucy’s dad._

 

And Lucy was inclined to agree…even if it was beyond humiliating. 

 

Wyatt, however, did not take kindly to Rufus’ remarks.  Even more protective of her now than he had been in month’s past, Wyatt reminded Rufus that as far as Lucy was concerned, Ben Cahill was _not_ her father and therefore had nothing to do with her.  To associate her with the actions of a man she hardly knew was a “dick move” and he was not going to put up with it.

 

Rufus, terrified of an ass-kicking of epic proportions, had profusely apologized, but for Lucy it didn’t matter…what had Rufus said that wasn’t true?  Benjamin Cahill was her father and now she was faced with the realization that her placement on the team had been engineered by him to stop Garcia Flynn…who had only stolen the time machine and begun this madness because of her directives in that damn journal he claimed _she_ wrote. 

 

It didn’t matter which way this cookie crumbled…Lucy and her family were the reason they were all suffering and had had their lives turned upside down.

 

Given all of this, she was doing her best to remain cheerful, but it was difficult under the circumstances.  After everything she had been through in the past few weeks, Wyatt’s injury had been a bridge too far.  Sitting across from him in that LifeBoat as he slipped in an out of consciousness had made her feel helpless and terribly alone.  He had been her rock, her source of support and strength through all of this and while his prognosis was excellent and the doctor’s assured her that he was on track for making a full and rapid recovery, Lucy could not shake the horrible feeling that came with the fact that she could have lost him.    

 

“How’s he doing?”

 

Rufus’ head had popped into Wyatt’s hospital room causing Lucy to leap about a foot in the air.

“You scared me.” She breathed out as she clutched her chest.  Rufus offered her an apologetic smile and shuffled into the room handing her a cup of coffee, a granola bar and a black bag that she promptly set in her purse. “Thanks.” Lucy said with a smile as she took the granola bar from him.  “He seems to be doing better since the surgery.  I expect he should be waking up anytime now.”

 

“Guess it _was_ a little worse than the last time he got shot in the gut then, huh?” Rufus quipped as he raised his eyebrows.  Lucy let out a derisive laugh and shot Rufus a sardonic look before pulling out a vial from her pocket and shaking it at him.  Rufus narrowed his eyes, “What’s that?” he asked. 

 

“This,” Lucy said in a tone of pointed annoyance “is a musket ball.”

 

Rufus took a sip of his own coffee and shrugged his shoulders, “I’m not getting your point. They pulled one of out of my leg after Boston, pretty standard for the 18thcentury.”

 

“My point is, Rufus.” Lucy explained with a meaningful glare, “Flynn didn’t shoot Wyatt.  Hamilton’s men did…or maybe even Hamilton himself.”

 

“I told you he was an asshole.” Wyatt murmured sleepily from the bed.

 

“Hey, there he is!” Rufus exclaimed as Lucy rushed over to his side, the relief at seeing Wyatt awake and talking evident on her features as she situated herself at his bedside caressing his face with her hand.

 

“How are you feeling?” she whispered as her eyes darted back and forth across his face, searching earnestly for any sign of discomfort.

 

“Better now that you’re here.” he said with a small grin.  He weakly lifted his hand to grasp the one she had gently settled on his cheek. Turning his head slightly, he lifted it from his face and pressed a kiss to her palm.  “This wasn’t exactly how I planned on us spending our first Christmas together.” he murmured apologetically as Lucy offered him a sad smile before she pressed a kissed to his cheek. 

 

He felt awful.  Not only had he wanted to make this Christmas special for Lucy because it was technically their first Christmas together, but after everything she had been through with the revelation about her father, he figured she deserved a distraction.  It hadn’t been easy for her anyway, what with Amy still gone and her mother completely oblivious to the fact that she had had another daughter once upon a timeline.  But this latest development was almost cruel and Wyatt was hoping that by going above and beyond his usual Christmas celebration of _Die Hard_ and a glass of egg nog, the two of them could focus on creating new traditions together, rather than the myriad of problems that seemed to constantly land on their doorstep. 

 

Thanks to this bullet wound, that plan had officially gone out the window.     

 

“You can thank Flynn for that.” Rufus murmured under his breath.

 

“Or Hamilton.” Lucy reminded him as she shook the musket ball at him once more.  “Seeing as he’s the reason Wyatt is in the hospital.” 

 

“You’ve got no proof it was him.” Rufus maintained.  “Besides, he saved all of our asses.  You should be thanking him instead of throwing all that shade.”

 

“Shade?  What?  Rufus, Wyatt was obviously struck by friendly fire.” Lucy huffed out in annoyance, “You can’t blame Flynn for the musket ball when Flynn didn’t even have a musket.” 

 

“No, but I can blame him for dragging our asses out into the 18thcentury to begin with.” Rufus countered, “Damn man had to jump on Christmas Eve like a true Grinch…”

 

“It’s still Christmas Eve, Rufus.” Lucy observed, “You haven’t missed it.” 

 

“No,” Rufus agreed reluctantly, “I haven’t…but…well, the party is not going to be the same without you two.”

 

She offered him a grateful smile, “Thank you, Rufus…but we’ll be okay.  There’s no need for you to forgo your plans just because we won’t be there. You should go and have a good time with Jiya.” 

 

“She’s gonna text me when she’s finished doing some church service thing with her folks.” Rufus sighed as he opened a small bag he had laying on his lap, “Until then, the least I can do is keep you two company.” he grinned at them as he unwrapped a turkey sandwich and took a hearty bite.    

 

Wyatt groaned slightly as he shifted in the bed, attempting to sit more upright. “Do you need anything?” Lucy asked as she brushed the hair off of Wyatt’s forehead. 

 

“Sure, discharge papers.” Wyatt grunted as he leaned forward to readjust his pillow that had fallen from its perch near his head to his lower back.    

 

Lucy placed a concerned hand on his shoulder, “Wyatt, no…you need to lay back down, you just got out of surgery.”

 

“And I feel fine, Lucy.” Wyatt moaned.  “I’m not spending Christmas Eve stuck in a damn hospital bed.  Where the hell am I, anyway?”

 

“UCSF Medical” Lucy responded as she straightened his bed sheets, “the musket ball was wedged too deeply for Mason’s small medical facility, so they transferred you here.”   

 

“I bet that prompted a lot of awkward questions.” Wyatt murmured as he nodded towards the vial. 

 

“Don’t worry…I told them you were part of a reenactor’s club.” Lucy said with a smile.

 

“That’s supposed to make me feel better?” Wyatt with a raised eyebrow. 

 

Well, if you think about it,” Rufus quipped as he took another bite out of his sandwich, “we are kind of reenactors.”

 

“It’s not reenacting if you’re actually there, Rufus.” Wyatt huffed out as he fluffed his pillow with a grimace, “And do you have to eat that thing in front of me?”

 

“I’m starving.” Rufus complained defensively.

 

“Yeah, well so am I.” Wyatt spat out as he searched for the call button.  “Don’t I get a meal or something in this joint?”

 

“Wyatt, you just had surgery.” Lucy admonished. 

 

“Yeah…so all the more reason for me to get something to eat.” Wyatt maintained as he continued to look for the call button, “Where the hell is that thing?”

 

Lucy reached over his head and pulled down the large gray remote, but instead of pressing the button for the nurse’s station, she flipped on the TV with one hand while pulling his bedside tray over with the other.  On it, lay a package of saltines and large mug of clear liquid. 

 

“You get crackers and ginger ale for the first few hours after surgery,” she said without even looking back at his expression, “I’ve already asked.”

 

“You have got to be kidding me.” Wyatt complained as he looked at the sad repast spread before him.        

 

“Not kidding.” Lucy said with an apologetic grin as she nudged the tray closer to him. “Now, eat your crackers.”

 

Despite trying to convince Lucy, the nurses, or even the doctors that he was just fine, not one of them would budge on what was deemed appropriate for him to eat after surgery. Even appealing to their sense of Christmas spirit would not change their minds and so, after countless failed attempts to sway the opinions of his judge and jury, and nearly as many unsuccessful bids to snag a corner of Rufus’ sandwich, Wyatt begrudgingly nibbled on his crackers while Lucy offered him sips of ginger ale.    

 

While it wasn’t exactly a party, Rufus definitely brought some much-needed joy to the cold and sterile hospital room.  Lucy, though attempting to keep her spirits up, had been beside herself with worry all day and the effects of those anxiety-filled hours were clearly still evident from the lines that furrowed her brow and the way she concerned herself over every beep of Wyatt’s bedside machines. 

 

“Lucy, just relax.” Wyatt breathed out as they sat around his bed playing poker.  “You’re going to let Rufus win again if you don’t get your head in the game.” he warned as he perused his hand. 

 

“Sorry.” Lucy muttered as she shook her head in an attempt to focus.  She frowned as she looked at her card while Rufus let out a barking laugh. 

 

“No need to apologize, Lucy.” he said with a wide grin as he rearranged his cards, “I don’t mind one bit.”

 

Wyatt’s blood pressure machine beeped again and Lucy threw down her cards in exasperation.  “What’s wrong?  Why does it keep doing that?” she asked

 

“Probably because I took the cuff off,” Wyatt muttered absent-mindedly as he determined his wager. “I hate that damn thing…it’s throwing off my concentration.”

 

“Wyatt! You need to keep that on!” she remonstrated as she leaned over his lap to reach across him in search of the discarded cuff.

 

“Lucy…it’ll be okay.” Wyatt said gently as he moved her back to her perch next to him.  “If they want my blood pressure, they can come in here and take it.”  He smirked at her as she glared at him reprovingly, “Besides, you leaning over my lap like that isn’t exactly keeping my heart rate at a slow and steady pace, ma’am.”

 

“At ease there, soldier.” Lucy muttered as she flushed slightly and turned her attention back to her cards, “we’ve got company.”

 

“Oh, don’t stop on my account” Rufus quipped unconcernedly, “The more you talk, the more I win…besides, I’m immune to it now…doesn’t bother me one bit.”

 

“Is that a fact?” Wyatt asked with eyebrows raised.  “Sounds like a challenge to me.  What do you think, Lucy?  Should we test that out?”

 

“No.” Lucy replied with a sidelong glance.  She was doing her best to look put out, but the barest hint of a smile graced her lips as she continued, “I’m pretty sure that would qualify as not having our heads in the game, sweetheart.”

 

“It all depends on what game you’re playing, baby doll.” Wyatt remarked with a devilish grin.  

 

They played a few more rounds of poker with Wyatt shamelessly flirting with Lucy in an attempt to get Rufus to crack under the awkward pressure, but much to Wyatt’s dissatisfaction, he didn’t seem the least bit bothered.   In fact, instead of bemoaning his third wheel status, Rufus hummed Christmas carols under his breath as he raked in even more winnings. He left them about an hour later, considerably richer…and much more at ease seeing his two best friends happier and healthier than they were a few hours before. 

   

Alone once more, Lucy nestled up to Wyatt’s uninjured side, prompting him to wrap his arm firmly around her waist and pull her in for a searing kiss.  She giggled against his lips as she murmured, “I thought we were trying to keep your heart rate down?”

 

“Cuff is still off,” Wyatt muttered back as he planted kisses on her jawline, “no one needs to know.”

 

“Wyatt…” Lucy groaned. 

 

“I promise.  I won’t tell if you won’t, ma’am…” he offered as moved away from her jaw and kissed her neck. 

 

“Wyatt Logan” Lucy gritted out, “You are in the hospital.”

 

“Exactly.  So, in the unlikely event that something bad does happen, I’m already here!”

 

She rolled her eyes and hit him the chest playfully as she scooted up to sitting, just as Wyatt’s nurse came back in the room with his pain medicine.  After chiding him for taking off his cuff, something that made Lucy’s “I told you so” glare appear full force, Wyatt off-handedly remarked to the nurse that he felt like he could get up and walk around for a little bit…”in fact,” he said with a mischievous glance towards Lucy, “I feel like I could go for a nice long jog…for like 20 minutes or so.”

 

“No strenuous activities.” The nurse muttered as she wrote in his chart, causing Lucy to bite back a laugh and shoot Wyatt another “I told you so” look. 

 

 He rolled his eyes as the nurse walked out of the room and turned on the television with a sigh.  Lucy nestled up next to him once more and planted a consoling kiss to his cheek, “How about a movie?  Although,” she said as she took the remote from him and flipped through the channels, “It doesn’t look like _Die Hard_ is on right now.  How about _A Christmas Story?”_

“I don’t know if that’s medically permissible, Lucy…what with that leg lamp and everything.” Wyatt muttered sardonically.  Lucy smacked his chest again as she flipped through more channels, finally settling on one of the classics. “Oh _White Christmas.”_ she said with a voice of longing.  “Amy and I used to sing the _Sisters_ song together every year.”

 

Wyatt really didn’t care what they watched, he was just all too happy to be spending time with Lucy…but he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for making her miss out on something she had been looking forward to for weeks…particularly since now she was holed up in a hospital room watching a movie that reminded her of happier times with her sister. “Lucy,” Wyatt urged as she nestled in closer to him, “you know…you could go to that party at Mason.  I don’t mind.” 

 

“No.” Lucy said with a determined shake of her head.  “I don’t want to go without you.”  Wyatt gave her a withering look, but Lucy maintained, “I wouldn’t enjoy myself. What with everything that’s been going on over there the past few weeks, and my dad…” she shook her head, “No, I’d rather be here with you.”  She pressed another kiss to his cheek before adding, “Besides, someone’s got to be here to keep you in line.”

 

“You don’t need to worry about me, Lucy.” Wyatt replied.  “I’m okay…I made it through the surgery.  I’m not even in any pain.” 

 

“That’s because you’re loaded up with Vicodin.” Lucy said with a snort.  “It doesn’t matter, Wyatt.  You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”      

 

Relenting in his attempt to get Lucy to spend a decent Christmas Eve away from the dreary and depressing hospital room, Wyatt threw his arm around Lucy’s waist as she nestled herself more thoroughly into his side.  Though a hospital isn’t exactly the cheeriest spot to spend Christmas, Wyatt took in the scene around him and decided that while it wasn’t the Christmas he imagined they’d share…at least they were together.

 

They lay there, side by side in the bed for quite some time, while the hospital staff made efforts to bring a festive air to the normally stark rooms by drawing a Christmas tree on the dry erase board hanging on the far wall.  As the night wore on, some cheerful volunteers passed through the rooms donned in Santa hats, handing out candy canes and caroling as they went along. It wasn’t rockin’ around the Christmas tree by any means, but it was something, anyway.      

 

Lucy, whom Wyatt suspected from her deep breathing had fallen asleep, was curled up next to him with her arm draped over his torso while  _White Christmas_ gave way to _It’s a Wonderful Life,_ on the television before him.

 

He had never really watched that movie before tonight, hell, he had never been a huge fan of classic movies (except for Bond, of course). Tonight, however, with the remote just out of his reach and feeling far too content to move with Lucy draped over his chest, he was more or less forced to actually watch George Bailey get screwed over time and time again, only to realize at the end of the film that none of that mattered...because he was surrounded by people who needed him and loved him. 

 

It resonated with Wyatt deeply. 

 

Instinctively he pulled Lucy a little closer as he remembered her words to him at the Alamo…speaking to him across the void of 180+ years.   _I don’t want anybody else.  I trust you. You are the one that I trust.  Rufus needs you.  I need you. Okay?_   That had been the lifeline he didn’t even know he needed, the angel pulling him out of a raging, ice cold river that was threatening to drown him.  They needed him, but just like George Bailey discovered in his journey of self-reflection, he needed them too. 

 

_Merry Christmas, Bedford Falls!_

 

“I just love this movie.” Lucy yawned as she slowly lifted her head from Wyatt’s shoulder and stretched out her neck.  She groaned as she rubbed at her aching muscles “How long was I asleep?” 

 

“I’m not sure.” Wyatt returned with a smirk, “I think you zoned out somewhere around the pool scene.”

“Oh no.” Lucy groaned as she looked at him apologetically, “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.”

 

“I didn’t mind.” Wyatt said with a soft smile.  

 

He didn’t.  After spending so many Christmas Eve’s alone after Jessica’s death and fearing that he would never have Lucy back in his life again, he couldn’t help but feel pretty damn lucky to be anywhere in the world…or in time for that matter, with Lucy Preston. 

 

Yawning once more and checking her watch, she let out a small gasp as she exclaimed, “And it’s officially Christmas Day.”   She pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s cheek and whispered, “Merry Christmas, Wyatt.”

 

Wyatt caressed her cheek with his hand before bending down to kiss her gently, his heart filled to the brim with gratitude, “Merry Christmas, Lucy.” he murmured against her lips. 

 

With a devilish gleam in her eye, Lucy swung her legs off the bed and tiptoed over to her bag, pulling out a black insulated bag Rufus had brought her earlier, “I have something for you.” she said with a wide grin. 

 

“Lucy…” Wyatt groaned as he took the bag from her, “that’s not fair.  Your stuff is all back at the apartment.”   

 

“This is _not_ your Christmas gift, so relax.”  she smiled as she nudged his arm, “But believe me, you’re going to want to open that now.”

 

He eyed her suspiciously as he slowly unzipped the top and lifted open the flap, “Oh my God,” he said with a chuckle as his eyes lit up in delight, “Is this?  It is!”  Wyatt beamed as he pulled out a large sandwich, “A Molinari Italian Combo?”  He handed Lucy the bag and she pulled out a sandwich of her own.    

 

“I had Rufus stop by there while you were in surgery.” Lucy said with a triumphant smile.  “When they told me you wouldn’t be able to have anything but saltines, I kind of had to scrap the plans I made for a romantic dinner for two in your hospital room.  You can thank Rufus for coming up with this idea.  He loves their sandwiches too.” 

 

Wyatt made to unwrap the sub, but paused as he gave Lucy a questioning glance, “Are you actually giving me permission to eat something other than stale crackers?”

 

She pointed to her watch, “It’s been five hours and since you ate your crackers and had no trouble, I think you’ve earned yourself a little reward.”

 

Not giving her an opportunity to change her mind, Wyatt took a bite of his sandwich and groaned, “That is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” He leaned his head back and closed her eyes, “Have I told you how much I love you, lately?” he murmured. 

 

“Do you love me more than you love that sandwich?” Lucy asked as she sank back down beside him with a teasing grin, “because I can leave you two alone, if you’d like.”

 

“Well, it _is_ a pretty good sandwich…” Wyatt replied with a smirk as he wrapped his arm around Lucy who smacked his chest playfully.

 

Lucy giggled as she nestled back next to Wyatt as they ate what they both considered to be a well-deserved meal.  It may have not been the way they had planned to spend their evening, but neither one of them could complain about anything just now.  In this moment, they were both happy, (somewhat) healthy and well-fed…and given where they had been just a few hours prior, that was all they needed.        

 

Feeling content, they both settled themselves underneath the covers, Wyatt lying on his uninjured side to give Lucy enough room so that she could be comfortable.  It had been a harrowing day, and they both wanted nothing more than a good night’s sleep.  Still plagued by dark thoughts, however, Lucy lay awake thinking, until finally she lifted her head slightly and observed solemnly, “I’m glad you’re okay…I…I don’t know how I would be able to go on with…”

 

“Shhhh….Lucy, it’s okay.” Wyatt whispered as he tucked her closer to his chest.  “I’m not going anywhere, ma’am.”

 

She clenched his hand in hers, so grateful for him…for them.  “Do you ever think about where we’d be if you hadn’t wound up in that other timeline?” Lucy murmured sleepily after a long while. 

 

“Sometimes.” Wyatt admitted softly.  “But to tell the truth, Lucy…I don’t want to think about where we’d be.”  I was a stubborn ass and you…”

 

“I was stubborn too.” Lucy conceded with a grin.

 

“I don’t know if I’d call you stubborn…” Wyatt muttered with a smile in his voice. 

 

 “You should…because I was.” Lucy said with a sigh.  “Engaged to a man I didn’t even know…” she shook her head ruefully, before confessing with a grimace, “Oh…that reminds me…he’s coming tomorrow.”

 

“What?” Wyatt spat out as he bolted upright on his elbow, utter disdain written all over his face. “Why?” he demanded.

 

Lucy sighed heavily, “Why do you think?  My mother.” She threw up her hands in exasperation as she mimicked her mother’s voice, “Noah’s family has been coming to our house for Christmas for years, I see no reason to stop that tradition now, just because you two had a little fight.” She gave Wyatt a sardonic look, “I should just call her and cancel.”

 

“No, Lucy.” Wyatt urged, “It’s your mother…it’s Christmas.  That assho…” he began but at Lucy’s reproving glare, he corrected himself, “Noah...isn’t going to be the only one at your mother’s house tomorrow, right?”

 

“Right, it’s going to be a huge party, just like every year.”  she said with a nod, “which means, I don’t have to go.”  She wrapped her arms around him again, “I’d much rather stay here with you.”

 

“That’s a nice sentiment, Lucy” Wyatt replied dryly, “but look at this place…it’s not exactly the North Pole.”

 

“You have a tree…” Lucy attempted as she pointed to the sad drawing on his dry erase board, but Wyatt merely shook his head at her. 

 

“I want you to go and have a good time tomorrow…you already missed one Christmas party because of me, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you miss another.”  Lucy made to argue with him, but Wyatt was determined, “I will have the nurses drag you out of here, Lucy…don’t think that I won’t.” He pointed to his blood pressure cuff, “All I have to do is tell them you’re trying to tempt me into engaging in strenuous activities.  Pretty sure they’d take my side, ma’am.” 

 

“Ha ha,” Lucy deadpanned as she rolled her eyes at him and settled back under the covers.  “Wyatt, you act like I should care about this Christmas party…I don’t.  I _really_ don’t.”    

 

 “Lucy,” Wyatt moaned, “you said yourself just last week that you were looking forward to this thing.” She rolled her eyes and frowned as Wyatt continued, “So, go…and if that…jacka…” Lucy turned her head to glare at him, “ _Noah_ gives you any problems,” Wyatt continued as he curled up next to her draping an arm over her torso and planting a kiss on her cheek, “you can tell me all about it and I’ll kick his ass when I get out of here.”

 

“Are you sure? Because really, Wyatt…I don’t mind. I can cancel.” Lucy appealed, “It’s just a bunch of my mother’s friends…I just go because...well, for my mom.”

 

“Of course, I’m sure, Lucy.” Wyatt said as he planted kiss to her shoulder.  “Besides, if you didn’t go, you’d never hear the end of it.”

 

Lucy thought about how her mother would react if she skipped out on her Christmas party.  In the timeline when Amy was still around and Henry Wallace was her father, Christmas dinner was the event of the year in the Preston household.  The family would gather for a formal meal in the early afternoon, but in the evening, her mother’s colleagues would filter in and out of their home for drinks, hors d’oeurves, desserts, games and what Lucy and Amy deemed “shop talk”.  With no Amy or Henry Wallace in the picture, the former tradition had apparently been done away with.  She imagined that if she had married Noah, as her mother had wished, they would have had a family dinner as she was used to.  There was no question in her mind about that.  Lucy also knew for a fact that her mother greatly disliked Wyatt…and well, he _had_ ruined her party at Stanford so she did have somewhat of an excuse…but her mother had also never made an effort to get to know him either.  Wyatt was right, she had told him she was looking forward to the party.  Since Christmas was the time to bring people together, that would be the perfect opportunity for Carol Preston to see Wyatt for the good man he was…and not the party-crashing, fiancé stealing, jerk she believed him to be.        

 

When her invitation for Christmas “dinner” arrived, however, Lucy noted that it was merely an invitation to the evening party… and she was allowed “a guest.” 

 

According to Carol Preston, it seemed, Wyatt wasn’t even worth mentioning by name, let alone a dinner. That had almost made Lucy refuse to go right then and there.  To be so callous and unwelcoming to Wyatt…at Christmas?  It made her blood boil.  She had hoped, however, that once her mother had met Wyatt and actually talked to him, she would change her mind and approve of him as much, if not more, than she approved of Noah. 

 

Now, however, it seemed that Lucy wasn’t going to have that chance. 

 

It had been the only reason she had agreed to go this year, the only thing she held out the slightest bit of hope for.  To have her mother accept her relationship with Wyatt was the only thing she really wanted for Christmas…well, there was something else she wouldn’t say no to if she were being completely honest…but without Wyatt there…what was the point?

 

“She’s your mother, Lucy.” Wyatt’s voice growled low in her ear.  “It’s Christmas.”

 

“Fine.” Lucy relented with a heavy sigh.  “I’ll go.


	38. EPILOGUE PART 3

It was a chilly Christmas night when Lucy stood outside of her mother’s house, anxiously contemplating what awaited her when she finally got up enough courage to walk through the front door.  It had been a good five months since she had packed up her bags and officially moved in with Wyatt, amidst her mother’s loud protestations and Noah’s frequent harassment, and she had not been back since.

 

She had attempted to stay with her mother, at first, not wanting to rush things with Wyatt in their already backwards relationship.  Wyatt was immensely supportive, but she could tell that he had been a little disappointed with her decision.  And why wouldn’t he have been?  He had just about moved heaven and Earth to get her back and they were essentially taking a step backwards…well, for him at least, anyway.  Ultimately, however, he agreed that this was the best course for both of them…they each deserved a fresh start and a chance to really get to know one another…even though Wyatt smugly commented that he thought he knew Lucy, “pretty damn well.”

 

That living arrangement, however, did not last long.  Noah’s almost constant presence at her mother’s house made it more than a little uncomfortable for Lucy…and when Wyatt found out she had taken to staying in a hotel rather than go home to her mother’s, he practically begged her to move in with him. 

 

“Lucy, dammit,” Wyatt had said, “I will sleep on the couch if you want…just don’t go back to that hotel.” It had made her smile, how the quiet, brooding Wyatt she knew…the man who had never once invited Rufus or herself over to his apartment before all of this took place, was now ready to give up his own bed so that she would have some place to call home. 

 

She knew then that things really had changed between them…that whatever had happened wasn’t just some crazy dream or the remaining effects of grief over once losing her in the other timeline…Wyatt Logan really did love her.  It didn’t matter to him whether their living arrangement was platonic or not…he just wanted her to be happy.    

 

And the minute Lucy left her mother’s house to make a home with Wyatt, she was.  In fact, despite her mother’s assurances that she would be absolutely miserable, Lucy had never been happier.  

 

If someone would have asked her when she first entered that waiting room at Mason Industries over a year ago what she thought of Wyatt Logan, she would have told them that he was the most arrogant, hard-headed and exasperating person she had ever had the displeasure to meet.  How he insisted on calling her “ma’am” despite her repeated protestations, how he smugly smirked at her when she struggled with her safety harness, how he had taken that risky shot and condescendingly boasted that he was “just that good”…that first mission had all but convinced her that he was the last person on Earth whom she could ever fall for.  But there was something about him, the heartache and guilt he carried with him, the selfless way he tried to save Kate Drummond, the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking - that struck a chord deep within her and no matter how much she tried to deny it, she couldn’t shake the fact that despite her better judgement, she was attracted to the blue-eyed and brooding reckless hot head.

 

Attraction was not love, however…but that soon followed…somewhere along the way. Lucy had been so convinced that it was one-sided.  Wyatt could never love her, she had repeatedly told herself.  Anytime she felt herself slipping, letting down her guard, allowing herself to hope, she reminded herself that Jessica was his one and only and if he had the chance, he would jump in that time machine and get her back. 

 

And then one day, he did. 

 

Or rather, didn’t. 

 

The Wyatt who had come to her that night, the one who had just about broken her heart, was not the same Wyatt who had come back, though…oddly enough…he _was her_ Wyatt. A glimpse of their life together…of what they could be had apparently convinced him of his own deep feelings for Lucy and when disaster struck, he risked everything to save her…even sacrificing Jessica.  It had been almost too much to believe, too much to take in…but there was no question in Lucy’s mind about how she felt.

 

She was in love with Wyatt Logan and she had been in love with him for longer than she cared to admit. Particularly since she had spent the better part of their working relationship engaged to a man she didn’t know. 

 

It was that man, now, that was dominating her thoughts as she stood outside her mother’s home listening to the muffled sounds of laughter mixed with holiday music. 

 

It wasn’t that she was intimidated by Noah.  She wasn’t…not by any means.  But since the day Wyatt had told her he loved her, she hadn’t spent more than a few hours apart from him.  She was so used to his strong and steady presence, to suddenly find herself without him, and facing the figurative firing squad, had her feeling unexpectedly uneasy and anxious.   

 

While she could understand why Noah would be so hurt and confused, knowing as she did, that the Lucy Preston he fell in love with wasn’t her, she hated feeling pressured to give this man, an essential stranger to her, an explanation as to why her feelings had suddenly changed towards him.  It’s not like she could tell him about the timeline shift, after all.  Non-disclosure agreement or not, he would never believe it. Then there was the fact that she had no memory of their time together, no feeling of attachment or attraction towards him other than a small sense of gratitude for his evident love for her. She wasn’t heartless.  She genuinely felt bad for hurting the guy. He obviously loved some version of her enough to want to marry her and with no warning, no reasoning, that version of her was gone, replaced by a woman who had no idea who he was…hell, she didn’t even know his last name. 

 

So, was it really surprising or unexpected that he would take every opportunity to try to win her back? Especially when he was being encouraged by _her_ mother to do so? 

 

Lucy shifted the presents in her hand as she took a steadying breath, feeling Wyatt’s absence all the more as she opened the door to her mother’s home.  The sweet aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg hung thick in the air and festive greeneries, glowing with strings of white light seemed to cover every surface.  The house was crowded, as was usual for one of Carol Preston’s parties.  Every room filled with faces, both familiar and unfamiliar but none of them holding the face of the one she dreaded to see most. Lucy let out a sigh of relief as she deposited her gifts next to the tree and went off in search of her mother. 

 

Lucy weaved her way through the throngs of guests, occasionally pausing to apologize for bumping someone a little too forcefully in pursuit of her mother.  She was stepping on her tip toes, and craning her neck in an attempt to look over the heads of some very tall elderly gentlemen, when she finally spied her mother’s upswept ‘do bouncing around the dessert table. Steeling herself for a lecture about her tardiness, Lucy plastered a forced smile on her face and made her way over to her.  “Merry Christmas, mom” Lucy said as she offered her a small hug and a quick peck on the cheek. 

 

“You’re late.” Carol Preston observed, her lips thinned in apparent frustration.  She turned a critical eye to her daughter, taking in her appearance, but seeing nothing amiss, she shrugged as she breathed out, “It doesn’t matter, though.  Most of this was catered, so I didn’t need your help anyway.”  She busied herself with straightening the center piece when she offhandedly remarked, “Where’s Walter?”

 

“Wyatt.” Lucy corrected. “He’s not coming.”

 

Carol turned to her daughter, a gleeful smile playing on her lips, “Oh?” she asked in a voice of feigned concern, “Did you two have a fight?”

 

“No.” Lucy said flatly, “He’s in the hospital, he had to have…surgery.”

 

“And yet you chose to come here and leave him all alone on Christmas?”  Carol asked in a voice dripping with disbelief.  “Well, regardless,” Carol breathed out not waiting for Lucy’s response, “It’s nice to see you here…where you belong.”  She checked her watch, “You know, Noah should be here any minute, you two should catch up.  I’m sure he would love to see you, Lucy.”

 

“Mom,” Lucy began in a voice of forced calm, “we’ve been through this.  Noah and I…”

 

“He loves you so much, Lucy.” Carol whispered as she pressed her two hands on Lucy’s shoulders, “You’ve been acting so strangely since you started this new job of yours…I don’t want to see you throwing away the best thing that ever happened to you for some…some smooth-talking soldier.”

 

Despite herself, Lucy let out a small laugh. Lucy shook her head as she countered her mother’s false observation, “Believe me, mom…Wyatt is not smooth-talking.  He’s…”

 

“Why I am not surprised?” Carol retorted with a scoff. 

 

“You don’t know anything about him, mom.  If you just sat down and talked with him…”

 

It was now Carol’s turn to let out a small laugh.  “Why on Earth would I waste my time for a…a fling?  Men like him, they don’t settle down, Lucy.  They just pack up and move on to some other woman in another town the moment they get new orders.” 

 

“Not Wyatt.” Lucy gritted out angrily as her mother scoffed and shook her head, “Do you know that he was married before?  That when I met him, he was still beating himself up over his wife’s death from five years prior?  He loved her so much, mom he…” Lucy stopped abruptly, unable to continue.  What could she say, that Wyatt was so distraught over Jessica’s death he stole the time machine to get her back?  Instead, Lucy cleared her throat and added firmly, “He’s the most honest and trustworthy person I know.”

 

Carol Preston rolled her eyes, “Pursuing an engaged woman is hardly the action of an upstanding young man.” Lucy scoffed as Carol continued, “Noah is from a good family, you two have been together much longer than you’ve even known this Walter…”

 

“Wyatt.” Lucy corrected again with an angry huff.  “He loves me. You have no idea what he gave up so that we could be together.”

 

 

“I know for a fact that Noah still has your engagement ring, Lucy.” Carol continued, ignoring Lucy completely.  “He has been nothing but patient with you while you...you’ve been trying to find yourself.  I hope that you’ll remember that when you see him tonight. “ she said with a meaningful nod. “He’s been so anxious to see you again, to talk you…and I thought that tonight, at Christmas would be the perfect time for you two to reconnect.”

 

“So, your invitation to Wyatt was what?  An obligation?” Lucy spat out. 

 

“Of course.” Carol said with a shrug as she brushed past her, “I figured he wouldn’t show and I was right.” Lucy threw up her hands in exasperation, clearly upset that her mother hadn’t listened…or rather, believed a word she said.  “Now,” she continued as she placed a few more napkins on the table, “why don’t you go freshen up a bit, before Noah gets here?  You could use some concealer under your eyes, you look like you haven’t slept in days.”

 

Carol swept out of the room with an air of haughtiness that left Lucy standing in her wake seething with resentment.  Now, more than ever, she wished that Wyatt were here…or that she would have just called her mother to let her no not to expect her tonight.  She knew that Wyatt was trying to help her have a good Christmas, away from the depressing setting of his hospital room, but anything was preferable to what she was dealing with now.  She would gladly take a tray of bland hospital food over her mother’s catered hors d'oeuvres, if it meant being with Wyatt. As far as she was concerned, he was her home, her family now.  She loved her mother dearly, but she was beginning to find her overbearing nature more than a little oppressive and insulting.

 

Fighting back angry tears, Lucy turned to the punch bowl, desperately hoping she had picked the one that was spiked with too much alcohol when she heard her mother’s delighted voice ring out above the crowd, “Oh, Noah!  Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael, I’m so glad you could come and perfect timing too, Lucy just arrived herself.”

 

Choking on her drink, Lucy quickly set down her cup and made a desperate attempt to conceal herself among the crowd, noticing for the first time since her arrival that mistletoe seemed to be strategically placed over every doorway.  With growing panic, Lucy watched her mother as she took their coats and ushered Noah and his parents into the living room, chatting with them animatedly.  Seeing that their backs were turned, Lucy quickly raced up the stairs to what was once her bedroom.  She was kicking herself as she shut the door behind her for thinking that coming tonight was a good idea, that this whole evening wouldn’t turn out exactly as it had. She had naively hoped by this time, both her mother and Noah would have given up their relentless push to make her Mrs. Noah Carmichael, but apparently, that had been wishful thinking. If anything, her mother seemed more determined than ever to see her daughter unhappily wed to a man she didn’t even know.

 

Lucy turned the lock on her door, thinking that if it were absolutely necessary, she could just stay in here all evening.  As that resolution flitted its way into her mind, however, she realized with a jolt of dread that her mother would surely come looking for her.  So instead, Lucy began looking for another means of escape, thinking that if worse came to worst she could just climb out of the bedroom window and take a flying leap into the bushes below.               

  

Except that her keys were downstairs in her purse. 

 

Dammit. 

 

A soft knock on her bedroom door, had her almost yelping in fear.  Desperate to do anything that would keep her from being put into a very awkward situation with Noah, Lucy scanned her room for something she could use to help her silently communicate to him that she was the last person he would want to talk with let alone try to romance.  She ripped open her drawers thinking that perhaps an old ugly sweater would do the trick, but no such luck…they were all empty.  Wrenching open her closet doors she found only graduation regalia and her old prom dress.  Rushing over to her old vanity, she pulled open the drawers as another knock sound on her door, “Just a minute!” she called out in a voice of slight irritation, “I’m just…freshening up.” 

 

Lucy found some old makeup in her top drawer and seriously considered going a little wild with an old tube of bright pink lipstick, when she suddenly set it back down on the vanity with a derisive laugh.

 

What was she doing? 

 

She was a grown woman, hiding in her childhood bedroom from a man she hardly knew…on Christmas.  She scoffed as she shook her head at herself. She had prided herself on her inner strength and determination, particularly after this last year.  She had faced down Nazis, dammit…she could withstand passing a few awkward hours with Noah and her mother.  She pushed the drawer closed and drummed her fingers on the vanity table, her determination growing with every tap.  Yet still she remained rooted to her small stool, silently wishing that Wyatt could give her another pep talk to help her get over this particular hump.  

 

Just as the memory of that 1944 mission flashed through her mind, her eyes fell on the small jewelry box perched on the corner of her dresser and an idea suddenly popped into her head.  Wyatt might not be present physically, but he still could be present...in a way. Biting her lip, she flipped open the lid and began perusing the contents of cheap jewelry from her high school and college days lying within.  Earrings, necklaces, bracelets…but there in the bottom of her velvet lined casket was just what she was searching for. 

 

She didn’t particularly care what it looked like, just as long as she had something that would spell out to Noah that she was by no means interested in discussing a continuation of their phony relationship. Jamming the ring on her finger, she quickly stood up, fluffed her hair in her mirror and wrenched open her bedroom door, relieved that whomever it was that had been knocking earlier had seemingly given up and gone back downstairs to the party. 

 

Descending the staircase slowly, Lucy cast a wary glance around the foyer and the living room expecting to be accosted by Noah or her mother at any moment...possibly both, since it appeared they were working in concert together.  To her great relief, however, no one approached her, those in the hall too wrapped up in their own conversations to even notice her reappearance. 

 

Taking care not linger in the doorways, she weaved her way through the crowd again, her head held high, amazed at the confidence something as trivial as a fake engagement ring could bestow.  She had never felt that way about Noah’s ring, it had been more of a nuisance than anything…but with Wyatt…it was different. 

 

Everything was different with Wyatt. 

 

For the first time in her life, she was deliriously happy.  She had heard of people being love struck, had been the bridesmaid at far too many friend’s weddings, she had watched nearly every romantic comedy in existence, but she never once believed that that kind of happiness would find her. It wasn’t from lack of trying. She had had relationships, but not one of her handful of boyfriends could even come close to the way she felt when she was with Wyatt.  He supported her, he trusted her, he gave her a confidence and a feeling of self-worth she had never known before.  As someone who constantly lived in the shadow of her mother, to always be compared and be reminded that, though talented, she was not quite living up to her “full potential,” Lucy felt invigorated and alive to be loved by someone who thought that she was absolutely perfect just the way she was.  He never once made her feel lesser because she didn’t know something or because she made a wrong decision, instead, he would merely smile at her and say, “It just means you’re human, Lucy.”

 

And she loved him for that. 

 

Well…she loved him for many reasons, but _that_ …the way he made her feel like she hung the moon…that was special.  

 

This ring gracing her finger was more than just a talisman against harassment from Noah, it was a hope that someday she and Wyatt would become the happily married couple they once were in the timeline he had stumbled into all those months ago.

 

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t talked about it, they had.  But, between the missions and the getting to know one another in a more personal sense, marriage was put on the back burner.  They had both agreed, it was something that they would discuss more fully -  when the time was right. 

 

Wyatt wanted Lucy to be sure…he would never pressure her into anything and he absolutely did not want her feeling obligated to him in the same way she had felt obligated to Noah. No matter how many times she tried to convince him that their relationship was much different than the one she had with her ex-fiancé, Wyatt was determined that they “do this the right way” promising her that if she decided she would rather not marry him, he would understand…but, he had added, _his_ mind was already made up on the matter…he would marry her right then and there if she would have him. 

 

She had laughed at that then, but now she almost wished she had taken him up on that offer.  After all, she knew that Wyatt was the one just as she knew the sky was blue.  It wasn’t something to be considered or debated, she understood on the deepest of levels that Wyatt was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. 

 

When she contrasted her feelings about Wyatt to those she had felt towards Noah when she had walked into this timeline engaged to him, her resolve was only further strengthened.   True, she didn’t know Noah from Adam, but there was never even the slightest hope on her part, even as she wore that monstrosity of an engagement ring, that a wedding to him would be in her future.  Rather, she went on with the farce only because she felt like she owed him a chance.  A chance to see whether this version of herself could fall for him as the Lucy he knew had. 

 

And she never did.

 

Instead, she had fallen for Wyatt. 

 

While she had given him no doubt as to the sincerity of her affections, she understood and appreciated Wyatt’s hesitancy.  After witnessing Lucy awkwardly suffer through a loveless engagement for months out of a sense of obligation, Wyatt would, of course, be adamant that Lucy be given the freedom to decide what she really wanted.

 

And what she wanted more than anything else was him. 

 

Yes, definitely Wyatt and _not_ the man who now had his hand on her lower back as he led her into the much less crowded dining room, “You look stunning.” Noah whispered as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, lingering a little too long for Lucy’s taste. 

 

 _Damn that mistletoe._  

 

She bristled slightly at the unwelcome intimacy of his touch, but did her best to maintain her composure as she took a large step away from the doorway and the offending plant. If he noticed her discomfort, he made no mention of it.  Instead, Noah smiled softly at her as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small wrapped gift, “Merry Christmas, Lucy.” he murmured affectionately.  

 

Lucy gaped at the gift in his hand, before stammering out, “Oh…Noah…you really shouldn’t have.”

 

“It’s no trouble, Lucy.” Noah insisted.  “I wanted to.”  He sighed as he looked at her longingly, “I’ve missed you.  I…I know things haven’t been great between us, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to…to make things better.”  He nodded at the gift in her hand, “Starting with this.”

 

Lucy exercised all the self-control she could muster to not roll her eyes at his persistence.  How many times had she told him it was over? How many times had she begged him to see reason?  How many times had she assured him that while his feelings towards her hadn’t changed, hers most certainly had?  She wanted to pull out her hair and scream in frustration, but instead, she offered him an apologetic frown and stated in a strained voice, “That’s very kind of you, Noah, but you see…I can’t accept that…I’m…I’m engaged.”

 

Noah’s eyes immediately darted to Lucy’s left hand and a look of bemused incredulity spread across his face.  “Are…are you serious?” 

 

“Why wouldn’t I be serious?” Lucy maintained, affronted. “You’ve known for months that I have been living with Wyatt.”

 

“Yeah…but that…that wasn’t…” Noah let out a derisive laugh, “Lucy, your mother told me that you wanted to reconnect tonight.”

 

“She did, did she?” Lucy muttered angrily as she pursed her lips together.  She didn’t know who to be angrier with; Noah, for completely disregarding everything Lucy had told him for months, or her mother, for doing the same and encouraging Noah to continue to hope for a reconciliation.  “Look, Noah” Lucy breathed out, “I don’t know what my mother has told you, but Wyatt and I are…”

 

“Where is he?  Is he here?” Noah asked gruffly, interrupting her. 

 

“Well…no.” Lucy answered, but before she could even offer an explanation as to why, Noah was interrupting her again. 

 

“So, you’re telling me that your “fiancé” couldn’t even be bothered to celebrate Christmas with you?   Hell, Lucy does your mother even know? What about your old friends?  Do they know?”

 

“We _just_ decided to make things official.” Lucy said as she swallowed hard, staring back at Noah in fierce determination.

 

Noah scoffed, his eyes never leaving hers as if trying to get her to crack under the pressure and admit it was just a ruse.  Lucy, however, held his gaze and did not falter in her silent admonition that as far as her love life was concerned, she was officially taken.  Noah, no longer looking at her with a warm softness, narrowed his eyes, “What happened to you, Lucy?” he hissed.  “You’ve given up your job at Stanford, your friends, the entire life you knew and loved for…for some guy who…”

 

“Who what?” Wyatt’s voice sounded from behind Lucy causing her to turn around and gasp in surprise. He was leaning on a cane by the archway of the dining room looking at the two of them with smug satisfaction next to highly amused Rufus who was eating a plate full of shrimp.

 

Noah gaped at Wyatt and rounded on Lucy, “I thought you said he wasn’t here tonight?”

 

Bewildered, Lucy looked from Noah to Wyatt who quirked his lip and said with a little too much sarcasm, “Sorry to disappoint, Doc.”

 

A look of pure disgust flitted across Noah’s face as he tucked his gift to Lucy back in his pocket. “We were having a private conversation.” Noah admonished in a self-important tone.

 

Wyatt looked around the dining room, nodding thoughtfully at the other guests who were now casting wary glances at the two men.  “I can see that.” Wyatt said smugly.  “No better place for a private conversation than in the middle of a Christmas party.”

 

Lucy cast an admonishing glare towards Wyatt, but there was a smile on her face despite her desperate attempts to conceal it.  Wyatt gave her a quick wink and a smirk before turning his attention back to Noah who was stammering out an explanation “I…I was just sharing a few of my concerns with Lucy.  She has a lot of people who care about her…me especially” he said arrogantly.  “I don’t want to see her do anything she might regret.”

 

Wyatt nodded thoughtfully, “I don’t want that either.” he stated with a shrug.

 

Noah let out a derisive laugh that made Lucy detest the sight of him.  He wasn’t the kind, considerate man who had presented himself to her earlier, he was an elitist snob.  He sneered at Wyatt in a way that Lucy felt was meant to be intimidating…but, as she noted with a smirk, it had no effect on the Delta Force soldier. “That’s funny…” Noah said as he made a step towards Wyatt, “because she seems to be making quite a few mistakes lately.”   

 

Wyatt took a step forward, his left-hand gripping tightly to the handle of his cane, “And let me guess,” he said with a sneer of his own, “you think I’m one of those mistakes.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows, in eager expectation for Noah’s answer as he popped another shrimp into his mouth. 

 

Noah smoothed his tie and threw back his head and shoulders haughtily, “As a matter of fact, I do.” he stated snidely, “Lucy could do much better.”

 

“No doubt.” Wyatt said with a quirked lip, “I can’t argue with you there.  Lucy could do a hell of a lot better.” He shot another smirk at Lucy who was giving him a sardonic grin.  “But, tell me, _Doc_ …just who do you think would be good enough for Lucy? You?”

 

“Of course.” Noah said cleared his throat.  “Lucy and I have known each other for years, we were happy…until…until…”

 

“Until what?” Wyatt asked pointedly, “I hope to hell you don’t mean to say that Lucy left you because _I_ made her do it.” He shrugged, “If you think Lucy can’t make up her own mind about things, maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do.”  

 

“She was my fiancé until you came along and…ruined everything between us.” Noah spat out, his emotions obviously getting the better of him.   

 

That’s a pretty hefty allegation, there Doc.” Wyatt said cooly.  Rufus nodded in agreement as he ate another piece of shrimp. “Hell, Lucy and I weren’t even together until after she broke things off with you.”

 

Noah scoffed, “You really expect me to believe that?  After that night at Stanford?  And you stopping by the house when she…when she was sick?” 

 

Wyatt shrugged, “It’s the truth, whether you choose to believe it or not is on you.”  Wyatt leaned back against the doorframe and nodded towards Lucy, “But don’t take my word for it, ask Lucy.  She’ll tell you.”

 

Lucy swallowed hard and cleared her throat, nodding in agreement, “It’s true.” she admitted solemnly “All of it.” 

 

Noah let out a derisive laugh as he stared at Lucy in utter bewilderment, “I…I don’t understand, Lucy. We…we’ve been together for three years.” Tears brimmed in his eyes as he lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper, “What happened to you, Lucy?  It’s like someone stole my fiancé and replaced her with…whatever this is.”

 

Wyatt may not have known the Lucy who had entered into an engagement with the smarmy jackass before him, but he sure as hell knew _his_ Lucy and Noah’s insinuation that she was anything but Lucy Preston and all that that meant was enough to make him grip his cane and take a determined step towards giving Noah the ass-kicking of a lifetime. Lucy, however, placed a gentle hand on his arm and shook her head, “I’m sorry, Noah.  I don’t know what else I can say”

 

“Explain it to me!” Noah yelled, causing the other nearby guests to turn and murmur.  “You disappear for days at a time, you don’t even see your mother anymore, you’ve all but given up your career at Stanford…everything you’ve ever worked for.  Lucy, this isn’t you.” 

 

“See, that’s the thing, Noah.” Lucy spat out in frustration.  “This _is_ me. The person you knew, the person you fell in love with…that wasn’t me.  That was someone else…and I wish I could explain how or why, but I can’t.”  Noah scoffed in disbelief and cast an accusatory glare to Wyatt who was back to leaning against the doorway, glaring at Noah as if daring him to insult Lucy again.  Lucy, however, entreated him further, “Noah, you are incredible and you deserve to be with someone who makes you happy…but that’s…that’s not me.”

 

“You would make me happy, Lucy.” Noah argued as he grasped her hands in his.

 

Lucy shook her head, “No, Noah…I wouldn’t.”  She took a steadying breath before adding, “And you wouldn’t make me happy.”

 

His pride obviously shaken, Noah bit his lip as he tried to blink away the tears that were pooling in his eyes.  “And you think _this guy_ ,” he spat out angrily as he gestured towards Wyatt, “would make you happy? _This guy?_ ”     

 

Having had her fill of insults for the evening, Lucy marched over to Wyatt and wrapped her arm in his as she tossed her hair back and admitted proudly “Yes, I do.”

 

“Tough break,” Wyatt remarked to Noah with a quirked lip.  “Sorry about that, Doc.”  He sighed heavily as he met Lucy’s eyes with a soft smile, “To be honest, I don’t know what she sees in me either, but I do know…I’m one lucky bastard.”  Wyatt’s eyes darted up momentarily, causing a devilish grin to spread across his face.  “Well, what do you know?  Mistletoe.” 

 

Lucy smiled at Wyatt as she gripped his lapels and pulled him in for a sweet, yet searing kiss. 

 

Looking utterly abashed and deeply offended, Noah made an awkward exit past the happy couple and into the room beyond. Rufus watched him go with a chuckle, the only one of the trio to do so as Lucy and Wyatt were still too entirely wrapped up with one another to care.  “He’s gone.” Rufus muttered through a mouthful of shrimp, nudging Wyatt in the ribs. “That was fun.” Rufus admitted as Wyatt straightened out his rumpled lapels, “much better than drinking egg nog at my Great Uncle Oscar’s house.”

 

“What on Earth are you doing here?” Lucy gritted out playful as she nudged Wyatt’s side.  “You’re supposed to be in the hospital.”

 

“They let me out on good behavior.” Wyatt said offhandedly. “Since you were already gone, I asked Rufus to come pick me up.  Originally, we were just going to go back to his folk’s…but we both decided it might be a hell of a lot more fun to crash this party…turns out we were right.”

 

She gave him an admonishing glare, “Wyatt…I don’t think you need to be at _any_ parties.  You should be resting.” 

 

“Lucy, I feel fine.” Wyatt insisted.  “They made me walk down the hall a couple times and they finally let me go as long as I promised I would use this damn cane…and since I didn’t get to use it for what I wanted to use it for” Wyatt said with a nudge of his head towards where Noah had been standing, “I guess I can use it to help me walk.”  At Lucy’s eye roll Wyatt maintained, “I’ve been very careful, Lucy.  I didn’t even follow you up the stairs, when we got here, did I, Rufus?”

 

“That’s right.” Rufus said with another mouthful of shrimp, “he sent me up there instead.” 

 

“That was _you_?” Lucy hissed, “Why didn’t you say something?”

 

“Because it was awkward enough standing outside your bedroom door.” Rufus admitted as he swallowed his latest mouthful.  “I didn’t know what you were doing in there and I didn’t want to know what you were doing in there.  Besides,” he added with a smirk, “it was way more fun to surprise you like this.  You should have seen your face.”

 

Wyatt scoffed, “Lucy’s face was nothing compared to that jackas…Noah.” he corrected at Lucy’s reproving smack to the arm.  “What the hell was he doing anyway?  Doesn’t that guy know how to take a hint?”

 

“No…and neither does my mother for that matter, so I think we should probably just get out of here.” Lucy said as she urged Wyatt away from the wall.

 

“What?” Rufus moaned, gaping at her.  “We just got here.”

 

“Fine.” Lucy breathed out as she covered her face with her hands in frustration, “You stay, Rufus…but Wyatt needs to go back home to rest.”  She grabbed onto Wyatt’s hand to pull him  into the next room, urging, “Come on, Wyatt…let’s get out of here.”

 

He however stayed right where he was and pulled her back, lifting and looking at Lucy’s left hand with curiosity.  The serious look he had on his face was doing a poor job concealing the amusement in his eyes when he asked, “Something you want to tell me, Lucy?”

 

Embarrassed, she tried to wrench her hand away, but Wyatt maintained his soft grip on her fingers, “It’s nothing, okay?” she breathed out anxiously, “My mother basically told me that Noah was dead set on winning me back tonight and I just…I panicked, alright? I needed something to…ya know…convince him to leave me alone.”

 

“Seems to have worked like a charm.” Rufus observed glibly as he popped another shrimp in his mouth. 

 

“Jesus, Lucy.” Wyatt breathed out as he looked at her hand more closely, “Is that a _mood ring_? No wonder the guy thinks I’m an asshole! Give me a little credit.” 

 

Rufus gave out a low whistle as he ate another piece of shrimp, “How much did that set you back, Wyatt? 50 cents?  $1.00 $2.50?

 

Lucy groaned as she ran her free hand through her hair, “I didn’t look at it, alright?  It’s all I had. Rufus was knocking on the door…”

 

“Leave me out of this…” Rufus said with a wave of his hand.

 

“…and I just…I was thinking of you…I saw the ring and just put it on my finger.”  Lucy admitted with a flushed face.  “It was stupid…I know, I just…”

 

Wyatt gave her a smile and pulled her closer, “No, it’s not stupid, Lucy.” Wyatt muttered before lowering his voice to a whisper, caressing her chin with his fingers, “But if you wanted to marry me, all you had to do was ask…ma’am.”

 

He sighed and leaned his forehead into hers, a soft smile gracing his lips as he rubbed small, gentle circles into the backs of her hands with his thumbs.  Lucy, overcome with a flood of emotion, found that she was having a difficult time maintaining her composure.  Her breath was hitching in her throat, tears pooled in her eyes and her heart was absolutely pounding in her chest. 

 

This was it. 

 

The moment they had both been waiting for. 

 

“Is that cheesecake?” Rufus announced loudly as he awkwardly stepped away from them, “Oh I am so here for that.  You guys want anything?  No? You good?” he asked without waiting for an answer, “Alright…well, I’ll be over here…until you, ya know…finish whatever it is you are doing.”        

 

Lucy giggled as Rufus skirted away, but Wyatt was still looking at Lucy intently, her hands pressed firmly into his.  Wyatt lifted her left hand and pressed a lingering kiss to the back of it, taking care to cast one long bemused glare at Lucy’s “engagement ring” before winking at her, and fishing around in his coat pocket with a heavy sigh, “I wasn’t planning on doing this here…”

 

“Then don’t.” Lucy gasped out quickly, immediately wanting to kick herself for being so abrupt.  She swallowed hard and fought back the happy tears that had sprung to her eyes as she explained, “Please Wyatt, I…I want it to be perfect…the way you had it planned.”

 

Wyatt stilled for half a moment, looking serious, before a wicked grin spread across his face, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lucy.” Wyatt stated nonchalantly, his expression serious again, “but it’s really no big deal, I can take my pain pills here or in the car.”  He shrugged as Lucy dropped her hands from his and rolled her eyes at him in exasperation, a bemused smile flitting across her face, “I just didn’t want that jackas… _Noah_ over there thinking I was some kind of junkie…but I guess it really doesn’t matter what he thinks of me at this point.” Wyatt muttered as he pulled out his bottle of pain pills and began twisting off the cap.  “I mean…I’m already the asshole who bought his fiancé an engagement ring out of one of those coin machines.”  

 

Lucy smirked at him as she handed him a small glass of water.  He tossed back his medicine and swallowed it with a grimace, before offering his arm to Lucy again, “So what do you say?  Should we stay here and have some more fun with your ex, or go celebrate what’s left of Christmas someplace else?”

 

Lucy looked around the crowded room, filled with stuffed shirts who, like her mother and Noah didn’t really know her at all.  For the first time in her life, she felt the freedom to walk away from one of her mother’s parties without the slightest tinge of guilt.  She quirked her eyebrow at Wyatt as she threaded her arm in his, a knowing smile gracing her lips as she muttered flirtatiously, “Let’s go someplace else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was away from my computer most of this weekend, so I apologize for just getting to this today. I'm going to be taking some time to try to get What Might Have Been caught up and updated, so once I am ready to post that next chapter, I will post the next update for this epilogue. It will motivate me to finish that next chapter of that fic....it's giving me fits. LOL. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this update. I'm SOOOOOO excited for you all to read the next one...I think a fair few of you will be happy.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!


	39. EPILOGUE PART 4

If Lucy believed Wyatt would propose on Christmas night after they left her mother’s house, she was sorely mistaken.  Not only did he _not_ propose, he also did little more than give her a small peck on the cheek before deeming himself too tired to open presents that night and told her with an exaggerated yawn that they could do it the following morning after a good night’s sleep.  Thinking that this was all part of the elaborate plan he had cooked up for their engagement story, Lucy readily consented, feeling a bit tired herself.

 

The next morning, however, also held no significant gesture on his part.  After whipping up an elaborate breakfast, Wyatt motioned her over to their small tree where she sat in rapt expectation only to be disappointed when they merely exchanged gifts and took a few silly photos. 

 

More days passed and still, Wyatt showed no sign that he was even considering popping the question…in fact, he seemed to have dropped the matter altogether.  Instead of showering her with the attention she had come to expect from him, he seemed aloof and distant, spending more time tapping away at his phone or on his laptop than talking and engaging with her.

 

_Engaging._

There was definitely not any of _that_ going on, Lucy thought with a huff as she looked down at her empty hand.  

 

Her hope was restored when Wyatt approached her, somewhat anxiously, as she was sitting up in bed reading. 

 

“Hey, Lucy…can we talk…about New Year’s Eve?”

 

Looking up from her book, Lucy nodded, her heart fluttering with the myriad of romantic possibilities that lay before them.  Ringing in the New Year with Wyatt at her side…the promise of new beginnings and a new life together…she quickly set aside her book and propped herself up in bed, “Of course, Wyatt…what did you have in mind?” she asked with hopeful smile on her face. 

 

“Look, Lucy.” Wyatt said with some hesitancy, “I know that there’s a sort of _expectation_ that comes with New Year’s Eve…and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea…I just, well it’s really not my thing.”

 

“Oh,” Lucy breathed out, trying hard not to let her disappointment show, “Well…that’s okay. We can stay in…and do something around here, I guess.”

 

Wyatt’s eyes brightened and he immediately let out a sigh of relief, “Really?  You’re okay with this?  I can plan something for here?”

 

“Sure,” Lucy said with a shrug, “I mean, I guess it doesn’t matter as long as we’re…together, right?” 

 

But Wyatt didn’t answer her. Instead, he patted her hand in a friendly and almost…platonic kind of way before heading off to the bathroom to shower.  Lucy sat back in confusion as the door to the bathroom snapped closed. 

 

What was going on?  

 

He had been acting strangely detached since Christmas, hardly spending any time with her, always running off to someplace or another, volunteering for extra work…and when he’d get home, he’d shower and go straight to bed…citing that anything else fell under the category of “strenuous activities.”

 

Lucy began to think that perhaps she had grossly misinterpreted his actions at her mother’s on Christmas. Maybe he really hadn’t intended on proposing that night at all...she had just assumed he was going to because her emotions had gotten the better of her.  Maybe that’s why he was so distant now...she had been too presumptuous and it scared him.  Wyatt wasn’t as ready as he thought, maybe when faced with the actual prospect of marrying her he had decided he had rather not.  Maybe living with her had made him change his mind somehow…

 

And then there was that emphasis he had put on _expectation._   What did that mean? Not to expect them to go out to a party?  Or was he giving her a hint that she shouldn’t expect a proposal? 

 

Feeling the blow to her ego as well as her heart, she sat absent-mindedly at the table on the afternoon of December 31, twirling her tea around with a spoon when Wyatt’s voice called her out of her reverie, “You okay?”

 

Lucy startled to attention and offered him a wan smile, “Yeah, I’m fine.” Wyatt was sitting at the computer, where he had been for the past few days, assisting Agent Christopher. She had lost a few of her agents in the field and needed a hand with some mounting paperwork and Wyatt, being Wyatt…had obliged.  His days therefore, had been spent mostly in front of the computer screen typing away furiously as he electronically filed report after report.

 

“You sure?” Wyatt asked again, barely taking his eyes off the screen.

 

Lucy shrugged and heaved a heavy sigh, “Yeah, I’m fine…why do you ask?”

 

“Wyatt frowned and shrugged, not taking his eyes off the screen, “You’ve just been more quiet than usual, that’s all.” 

 

 _That’s rich,_ Lucy thought as she sat there looking at Wyatt who had barely spoken to her since Christmas…but then again, with all this paperwork it wasn’t like he didn’t have an excuse.

 

But still, after all of that flirting in the hospital, after he had given Noah the tongue lashing of a lifetime, after he had all but hinted that he was planning to propose…

 

Ugh…what was she doing? Why was she getting so worked up over all of this?  Wyatt was helping Agent Christopher…he was busy….it had nothing to do with her.

 

Or did it?  

 

Feeling more than a little dejected, Lucy merely sighed in response and went back to twirling her tea with her spoon.   

 

Wyatt stilled at the computer, and leaned over to look at Lucy, “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” he asked as he studied her slumped figure.  “You’re not coming down with something, are you?” he asked with a hint of concern in his voice. 

 

She _was_ feeling sick. But it wasn’t because of some seasonal bug.  It was all because of Wyatt…and his apparent change of heart.                                                     

 

Why hadn’t he proposed yet?

 

“I’m just tired, I guess.” Lucy said with another sigh, pushing off the table as she stood up.

 

“Tired?” Wyatt laughed, “You’ve got to make it to midnight, I bought Chex Mix.” he said as he motioned to the kitchen with his thumb.  “How do you want to do this James Bond marathon?  Most recent to classic?  Top five? Draw them out of a hat?”

 

Oh yes…their New Year’s Eve plans.  How could she forget?

 

When Lucy had suggested doing something around the apartment to placate Wyatt and his distaste for New Year’s Eve celebrations, she had held out a hope, despite their latest cold spell, that he was planning a romantic evening for two.   A candlelit dinner, perhaps?  A chance for them to be alone and connect…to discuss their future together away from the prying eyes of strangers?   Knowing that Wyatt was at his heart, an introvert, she understood how something like a proposal would be something he would prefer to do privately…with just the two of them.  And what better time to propose than on New Year’s Eve?   A time to say good-bye to past regrets and embrace future possibilities? 

 

But those hopes too had been dashed to pieces when he had come home with a large envelope in his hands and informed her that Rufus and Jiya would be joining them for a James Bond marathon. 

 

“A what!?” Lucy couldn’t help but blurt out when he had told her.

 

Wyatt had looked at her in stunned surprise, “I thought you said you wanted to stay in on New Year’s Eve?”

 

Lucy gaped at him. She had never said she _wanted_ to stay in at all.  That had been Wyatt’s request, she was merely trying to be supportive.  “Well…I didn’t…I mean…I thought…James Bond…really?” she stammered.

 

“It’s a tradition…I do it every year.” Wyatt shrugged.  “But this year, is going to be better than any other year.” He opened the envelope and pulled out a heavy piece of cardstock and handed it to Lucy in anxious expectation.

 

Lucy’s face fell as she gazed at what Wyatt had excitedly presented her with, “James Bond Bingo.” she read off mechanically.  “This is a joke, right?” she asked with raised eyebrows. 

 

A flicker of panic shone in Wyatt’s eyes as he gaped at her, “No…why would it…?  I thought you wanted to spend New Year’s Eve together?” he asked in a voice etched in hurt. 

 

Lucy bit her lip.  She couldn’t really be mad at Wyatt.  He had given her no promise about proposing…that had all been her assumption.  He also had never promised her a romantic evening at home…that too had been all an assumption made on her part.  Wyatt had merely asked if he could plan something, and she, like a fool, had given him a blank check. 

 

A blank check that now included James Bond Bingo. 

 

“If you don’t want to play the game,” Wyatt appealed in a voice still laden with hurt, “we don’t have to…Rufus was the one who suggested it.  I just thought you…I mean, I know you really don’t like James Bond…so I thought turning it into a game would make it more fun…for _you_.”

 

Lucy felt horrible. Wyatt had done _this_ …for _her_ and here she was turning her nose up at it like it was last week’s tuna casserole. “I…I’m sorry, Wyatt.” she stammered apologetically.  “I didn’t mean…I just had never heard of doing something like this before.”  She forced a smile on her face and handed the card back to him, before saying in an unnaturally high voice, “Sounds like a lot of fun!  Can’t wait.”

 

That had been two days ago.

 

“Lucy?” Wyatt’s voice called her back to the present.  “Did you hear what I said?” he asked in a voice of concern, “Which 007 movies do you want to watch tonight?”

 

Lucy shrugged, “I don’t know…why don’t you ask Rufus?  I mean, he knows more about those movies than I do, right?”

 

“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Wyatt said with a scoff, “He’s not coming.  He and Jiya won tickets for some lame 1920s cruise in the Bay.”

 

“Wait a minute…Rufus and Jiya got tickets for the Speakeasy cruise?  How?” Lucy blurted out in astonishment.

 

The Speakeasy cruise was supposed to be one of the premier events in San Francisco for New Year’s Eve…not that Lucy had ever gone.  Passengers would dress up to the nines and be transported into the 1920s as they sailed around the Bay, where at midnight, they would watch the fireworks exploding over the San Francisco Ferry Building.  Tickets were nearly impossible to snag and could cost as much as $2000 per person, but for the ambience and the atmosphere…well, she heard it was well worth the splurge.

 

“I don’t know.” Wyatt said with a shrug, “Some contest he entered…I really wasn’t paying attention.”

 

“Oh.” Lucy muttered despondently.  “I guess that means no James Bond Bingo, then.” she added in a voice that she hoped sounded disappointed. 

 

“I don’t see why we can’t still play.” Wyatt said with a shrug. “Rufus and Jiya won’t know what they’re missing.” Wyatt winked at her as he stood up from the computer and crossed over to their hall closet. “I picked up something else at the store when I was out yesterday,” came his muffled voice from inside the closet, “I saw it on the shelf and thought it would be perfect for tonight.”  He emerged from the closet with a smile holding out a board game. 

 

“James Bond Trivial Pursuit.” Lucy read out as she took the game from his hands, “I…I don’t know what to say…this is….” she said in a strained voice. 

 

“This is going to be the best New Year’s Eve ever.” Wyatt finished for her.  “Rufus and Jiya are going to wish they were here with us instead of stuck out in the middle of the Bay on a lame boat.”

 

Lucy couldn’t quite agree with that assessment of the situation, but she said nothing to the contrary.

 

“So, what’ll it be, Lucy?” Wyatt asked as he took the game from her and put it back in the closet. “A night of Connery?  Daniel Craig? A mix…both old and new?” 

            

 “You decide.” Lucy sighed heavily, “I think I’m just going to jump in the shower,” she sighed, “maybe the hot water will help me…think.”

 

“Hmmm?” said Wyatt absent-mindedly as he settled himself behind his computer again, “Think about what?”

 

“Nothing in particular…” Lucy breathed out as she made her way down the hall.  She hadn’t even reached the bathroom door, however, when cacophony of sounds filtering from the kitchen counter made her groan.  Turning on her heel, she headed back down the hall to find Wyatt standing in the kitchen, holding out her phone and offering her a sympathetic frown.  “It’s Flynn.” he spat out with a curse…”dammit, there goes our New Year’s Eve plans.”

 

As much as Lucy believed she should be upset about the prospect of spending New Year’s Eve on a mission, given what was waiting for her in the present, she found that she wasn’t as disappointed as Wyatt appeared to be…though she put every effort into making him think that she was, “Oh no!” she exclaimed with an exaggerated gasp, “That’s…too bad.” She spun around again, heading this time, for their bedroom, grateful for an excuse to hide her relief, “Alright, I’ll be out in a second,” she called out to him, “just let me get dressed and we can go.”

 

Their drive to Mason was quiet and subdued, nothing like it had been in times past.  Wyatt was brooding, obviously upset that his yearly New Year’s Eve tradition had been ruined by Garcia Flynn. Lucy, though not upset at all that their “plans” had been ruined, sat wondering what had happened to cause such a change in Wyatt’s attention to her.    

 

She had been so sure that he was ready to propose.  Yes, he had not brought up the subject for months, but that, Lucy believed, was because he was giving her the space she “needed and deserved.”  Those had been his words.  This was their fresh start and he wanted her to want to marry him not because some other version of her had, but because she had wanted to. Seeing that fake ring on her finger, he had seemed so happy.  The look on his face was one she would always remember.

 

So, what had happened since then?

 

It wasn’t like she could just ask him why he suddenly seemed indifferent to the idea of marriage…how pathetic would she sound?  She was the one, after all, who had stopped him from proposing at her mother’s. 

 

Or had she?    

 

Who knows if that was what he was planning on doing or not.  Maybe he really was just going to take his pain medicine.  Ugh…how she wished she had just kept her big mouth shut.

 

Or maybe, maybe this was for the best.  If Wyatt had, in fact, changed his mind, it was better to do it now than after vows were exchanged.  Right?  

 

“Lucy?” Wyatt’s voice called her out of her thoughts once more.  She looked around at the driver’s side only to see that he was not there…and they had stopped.  She turned to her right to see him standing outside her car door, his hand extended, waiting to help her out of the car. 

 

“Oh…I’m sorry.” she muttered in embarrassment as she placed her hand in his and stepped out of the vehicle. 

 

Wyatt eyed her suspiciously as he shut the door behind her, “What is going on with you lately?” he asked in confusion, “It’s like you are a thousand miles away.”

 

Lucy shrugged but said nothing as they entered the warehouse.  The usual sights and sounds greeted them as they made their way into the launch bay, today, however, there was an added level of frustration apparent as interns and lab techs grumbled angrily over their ruined day off. 

 

“Do you realize how hard it is to get those tickets?” Rufus was complaining to Agent Christopher as Lucy and Wyatt approached.  “People book that cruise up to a year in advance.  A year!  Leave it to Flynn to come along and screw everything up.”

 

Agent Christopher glared at him unsympathetically, “You think you’re the only one who had plans tonight?”  She shook her head, “This entire room is filled with disgruntled employees who would all rather be somewhere else tonight.  It’s a hazard of the job.” 

 

“Hazard of the job.” Rufus grumbled, “You know, I didn’t sign up for this!” Rufus reminded her.

 

“I don’t think any of us signed up for _this_.” Agent Christopher countered, “but here we are.” She huffed out a breath, noticing Wyatt and Lucy, “Ah…and here _you_ are.” she said in a voice of surprise, “Wyatt, I…well, I didn’t expect to see you,” Agent Christopher explained with a look towards Lucy, “you haven’t been medically cleared for this mission, so, I called in Master Sergeant Baumgardner.”

 

Lucy’s eyes darted to Wyatt in alarm.  She had been so wrapped up in wondering why Wyatt hadn’t proposed she had forgotten that his injury could very well keep him from going on this mission. “Wyatt...?” she asked in a quiet voice of concern as she tugged on his arm.    

 

But Wyatt barely gave Lucy a second glance as he shrugged unconcernedly to Agent Christopher, “It’s not a problem at all, ma’am…I completely understand.”

 

If Lucy needed any more proof that things had changed between her and Wyatt since Christmas, that was it right there.  How many times had they promised each other since he had reset the timeline, that they would do the missions together or not at all?  And now, faced with the prospect of being replaced by Bam Bam while Lucy traveled to God knows where without him, Wyatt didn’t even put up the slightest bit of a fight. 

 

And it had just about devastated her.   

 

Blinking back tears, she retreated to a small corner, trying to compose herself when Bam Bam’s voice came echoing across the room, “Greetings and salutations!”  He came sauntering into the warehouse with a wide grin, waving at old acquaintances as he passed them down the hall before stopping suddenly at the sight of Wyatt, “What are you doing here?  I thought…”

 

“It’s okay.” Wyatt said with a handshake to his Delta Force buddy, “Looks like I’ve got to sit this one out…no hard feelings, alright?  I understand.”

 

Rufus gave a meaningful glare to Wyatt, “No… _you_ don’t understand, Wyatt.” he said in a voice punctuated with heavy connotation as Bam Bam made his way over to greet Lucy, “our plans are _ruined_.” 

 

Wyatt’s eyes darted to Rufus’ in alarm as he gave him a significant nod “You mean…”

 

“Yeah…Flynn has _actually_ jumped, man.” Rufus said with a shake of his head, “And you don’t have medical clearance.”

 

Wyatt breathed out a curse as he looked with growing dread towards a despondent looking Lucy.  She was laboring under the impression that Wyatt hadn’t planned a damn thing except a lame James Bond movie marathon.  He had given her some wise-crack excuse that it had been a long-standing tradition for him because he hated the holiday. Despite her agreement to his pathetic excuse for New Year’s Eve plans, Wyatt knew that Lucy wasn’t happy…but it was all part of his scheme.  He wanted their evening at home to be so distasteful for her that she would welcome the chance to go on a mission rather than watch one more minute of 007.

 

It was a plan that began several months ago. 

 

After hearing what Wyatt had done in order to save Lucy, Mason had pulled him aside one day and offered him his connections so that the two of them could have a special night out together.  Wyatt, all too eager to take him up on that offer had been clueless as to what to choose. Rufus and Jiya, however, were more than willing to offer up suggestions and together they had finally decided that the New Year’s Eve Speakeasy cruise would be something that Lucy would not only enjoy, but it was a way for them to step back in the past together without, as Rufus put it, “being worried about getting shot, kidnapped, or stranded by Garcia Flynn and his band of assholes.”

 

The cruise itself was romantic, nostalgic, and given the holiday and the difficulty in obtaining tickets, it was the perfect way to take Mason up on his offer of assistance.   

 

Wyatt would dupe Lucy into agreeing to the worst kind of New Year’s Eve party imaginable so that she would be totally taken by surprise by the actual plan.  But, as Rufus pointed out, she would figure out something was up when they had to dress up to leave the apartment.  So, Wyatt had come up with the idea of the fake mission so that they would have to go to Mason…where there would be plenty of 1920s costumes to choose from for their night out.

 

They weren’t sure how, after arriving at Mason, they were going to make this whole ruse believable, Wyatt had just about decided that when they arrived, they would have to confess that she had been tricked…and then he got shot in 1776.  As much as he hated having a musket ball lodged in his gut, Wyatt couldn’t help but silently thank Alexander Hamilton for putting it there. It was the perfect cover.  Agent Christopher would call Bam Bam in as a replacement while insisting that Lucy merely brief the team so that she could spend New Year’s with Wyatt.  Rufus would then present them with the tickets he had “won” and they could go off to the pier together.  Lucy would be none the wiser…until she got onboard and saw their inscribed name cards on the table. 

 

The whole thing had been damn near flawless, but Garcia Flynn had to come along and screw it all up.   

 

“What the hell are we going to do now?” Wyatt hissed at Rufus as Agent Christopher approached them. He turned to her looking absolutely desperate, “Ma’am…you gotta give us a pass on this one.”

 

“Wyatt, I sympathize, I do…but if we don’t have a clear idea of what Garcia Flynn is doing on this mission, we’re not going to have a choice.  Lucy will have to go.”

 

While Wyatt delved into serious conversation with Agent Christopher, Bam Bam made his way over to Lucy.  “Est-ce que tu vas bien?"  he asked as he pressed a kiss to Lucy’s hand. 

 

“I’m alright.” Lucy nodded curtly as she looked across the room towards Wyatt.  “I’m just…a little upset about New Year’s…that’s all.”

 

With a knowing look, Bam Bam muttered, “Je suis désolé que vos plans ont été ruines.’’

 

Lucy shrugged and with one quick wary glance at Wyatt, she whispered back despondently, “Il n'y avait pas grand chose à ruiner.”

 

Bam Bam let out a derisive laugh as he winked at her, “Oh I don’t know about that, Lucy.”

 

Seeing Bam Bam chatting with Lucy and knowing that Bam Bam was notorious for letting the cat out of the bag, Wyatt excused himself and rushed over stating breathlessly that Lucy was needed for the briefing. 

 

Unable to hide her hurt in the face of Wyatt’s seeming indifference, Lucy nodded at him despondently, something that did not get unnoticed by Bam Bam. “J'espère qu'il te traite bien?” he asked gently.  Lucy nodded her head, but did so with a sad, kind of longing look at Wyatt prompting Bam Bam to press further by asking in confusion, “Trouble au paradis?”

 

Tears sprang to her eyes, but Lucy shook her head in embarrassment, determined to act more like herself to avoid any more awkward questions.  She was just going to have to get over her disappointment, that was all there was to it. 

 

Wyatt had done nothing wrong.  She was the one who hadn’t listened to him when he warned her about _expectations_ and New Year’s. 

 

Taking a steadying breath, Lucy walked resolutely towards Agent Christopher, who was back to talking with Wyatt.  Clearing her throat as she neared them, Lucy asked quietly, “What’s the mission?”

 

“Wait a minute,” said Bam Bam as he looked to Rufus and Wyatt in confusion, “there’s a mission?  Like…an actual mission?”

 

“Yes.” Wyatt and Rufus said at the same time, rather gruffly. 

 

“Of course, there’s a mission, why else would I call you in here?” Agent Christopher said with a roll of her eyes towards Wyatt who looked like he was about ready to lose every last shred of patience he had.  Bam Bam looked like he was about to defend himself and his point, but Agent Christopher cut him off, “Jiya,” she asked as she shook her head in frustration, “what have you got for us?”

 

“Um…May 21, 1927” came her ready response.

 

Lucy’s head popped up immediately, a mixture of concern and excitement on her face as she asked for clarification, “Is it...is it Paris?”

 

“Yeah.” Jiya said with a nod, chancing a quick look at Wyatt before reaffirming with pointed meaning, “Paris.”

 

Wyatt felt the as if the floor beneath him had given away.  Not only were all of his plans completely ruined, now he was facing the very real prospect of Bam Bam going to Paris on New Year’s Eve…with Lucy.

 

He looked desperately at Agent Christopher who was already pursing her lips in sorrowful apology. His only chance at salvaging anything out of this evening would be if Lucy knew exactly what Flynn was up to…and since that was a rarity, he was pinning his hopes on a pipe dream and he knew it.

 

Rufus, wanting to do anything he could to help sway Agent Christopher’s opinion, muttered despondently, “Sure, Paris is great…but it’s not the Speakeasy cruise.  It would be _really nice_ to not have those tickets go to waste.”    

 

Bam Bam, oblivious as ever, clapped Rufus on the back, “Hey, look on the bright side,” he consoled, “You’ll be able to go to an actual speak easy on this trip.”

 

Rufus shook his head, looking at Bam Bam in total exasperation, “Not likely, since ya know, we’re not supposed to be drinking on the job.”  He sighed heavily, “Besides, the 20s?  Pretty damn sure I wouldn’t be able to be within spitting distance of any one of those gin joints, but thanks for rubbing it in.”

 

“Actually,” Lucy corrected with a sigh, “Paris was a haven in the 1920s for the Lost Generation. Artists, writers, people there were more open to new ideas and different ways of thinking.  The Anness Folles….the French version of what we call the Roaring Twenties was headlined by the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein…and um…Josephine Baker.”

 

“Jo…Josephine Baker?” Rufus stammered out with an awe-struck face, “You mean, the jazz singer, the Bronze Venus?  The Creole Goddess? The Beyoncé of the 1920s?” 

 

“Yeah.” Lucy responded slowly in surprise, before twisting her face in a knowing grin, “You a fan?”

 

Jiya snorted into her cup of coffee as Rufus, rubbed a hand on the back of his neck in an attempt to appear unconcerned, “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a fan…I may have listened to one or two of her albums.”

 

“About a million times a day.” Jiya murmured quietly with a sardonic smirk on her face. 

 

“I think we need to get back to the topic at hand.” Agent Christopher exclaimed in an impatient huff, “The sooner we get this mission over with, the sooner you get back here to enjoy your evenings.” 

 

“Right.” Lucy nodded. “May 21 in Paris can only mean one thing.  That was the day Charles Lindbergh landed after his transatlantic flight.” 

 

“So, Lindbergh is the target?” Wyatt asked hopefully.    

 

“So it would seem.” Lucy sighed.  “But why _after_ he makes the flight?”  She asked as she bit her lip in thought.  “It’s that flight that brings him so much notoriety.  You’d think that if he was trying to ruin Lindbergh, he would sabotage the flight at its starting point.”

 

“Maybe that’s the point.” Remarked Bam Bam as he put the finishing touches on a paper airplane he had begun folding, “The bigger they come, the harder they fall.  If he’s out to screw with Lindbergh and his place in history, he’d have to make history to be worth screwing with.” 

 

“Makes sense.” Wyatt said with a frown, “But wasn’t Lindbergh some kind of racist?  Pretty sure I remember my Grandpa Sherwin accusing him of being some kind of Nazi sympathizer.  Maybe he’s a Rittenhouse dick.”

 

“No.” Bam Bam said with a shake of his head, “Lucky Lindy?  No way in hell.  He’s a national treasure.”

 

“Wyatt’s right…actually.” Lucy corrected, “Lindberg was accused of pro-fascist views.  He gave a speech in Des Moines, Iowa in September of 1941 entitled _Who are the War Agitators_?  That speech forever painted him as a Nazi Sympathizer and anti-Semite…he basically blamed the Jewish people for being the cause of the war.”  

 

“Boy that story took a dark turn.” quipped Rufus as he looked around the room uncomfortably. 

 

“That’s not all.” Lucy continued, “He was the spokesman for the America First Committee.  As such, he spoke out against American aid to Great Britain during some of the worst fighting of the war.  He actually called for the United States to abandon our greatest friend and ally in their most desperate hour.” 

 

“Sounds like an asshole.” Wyatt muttered.

 

He was a staunch isolationist, which…isn’t such a terrible thing in and of itself…but when the whole world is at war against someone like Hitler…” Lucy explained.

 

“Didn’t Hitler give him a medal?” Wyatt asked. 

 

“Not Hiter, himself, no.” Lucy corrected, “Lindbergh made a huge name for himself with this solo flight. As such, he was treated like royalty everywhere he went.  In 1936, he visited Germany several times.  He actually went as a sort of spy for the American military attaché in Berlin. They knew the Germans were secretly rebuilding their military force…”

 

“Which they weren’t supposed to do under the Treaty of Versailles.” Wyatt said triumphantly as he nodded at Lucy.

 

Her eyes darted up to his in surprise, forgetting momentarily why he would know such a thing, but as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, she returned his warm smile with one of her own. 

 

Rufus, however, was still confused, “How the hell do you know that?” he asked.

 

“Because I had to fill in for Lucy when she had the flu.” Wyatt said softly, remembering that day…remembering that that sickness is what threw him into that other timeline, where he came to realize how much she meant to him.  “She was benched,” Wyatt explained, “so I had to take a crash course on the Treaty of Versailles and the end of World War I.”   

 

“Huh.” Bam Bam laughed as he pointed out, “That’s kind of funny…you two crazy love birds both missed out on being on a mission to Paris together because of medical clearances.”

 

“Yeah…” Wyatt growled angrily, “that’s hilarious.”

 

“So,” Rufus asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject, “Lindbergh was a double agent?”. 

 

“No.” Lucy said with a shake of her head, “The American attaché’s hunch was a good one. Lindbergh, being as popular as he was in the aviation world, was given a backstage tour of the German military machine. Seeing the Luftwaffe up close and personal like that…knowing what it was capable of…he knew there was no one in the world who could match them.”

 

“So Lucky Lindy didn’t want to go to war with the Germans because he thought we would lose?” Bam Bam asked.

 

“Precisely.”  Lucy agreed with a nod. “So yes, he did receive a medal from the German government under Hitler, The Order of the German Eagle to be precise, but it was in recognition of this 1927 flight.  He received similar medals from other governments all over the world, not just the Germans.” Lucy shrugged, “So, he wasn’t quite a Nazi, but he didn’t really hate them either.”     

 

“So…what does Flynn want with Lindbergh?” Wyatt asked, slowly and deliberately. 

 

He waited for Lucy’s answer with bated breath, knowing deep down that it was useless.  Still, he held out a flame of hope, only to have it extinguished as Lucy raised her shoulders in a shrug and sighed, “I have no idea. If he wanted to ruin the flight, he could have stopped him in New York.” She shook her head, “If what Bam Bam suggests is true and he wants to kill him after the flight, he’s still celebrated because he’s accomplished what he set out to do.  If he wanted to smear him in public opinion…that happens about a decade later…it just…I don’t understand why he would go after Lindbergh right now.”    

 

“Right.” Agent Christopher said with a meaningful nod towards a very crestfallen Wyatt, “Well, there’s no use waiting around here. The sooner you leave, the sooner you get back home…and hopefully,” she added with emphasis, “you’ll get back here in time to at least ring in the New Year.”

 

Wyatt stood by helplessly as Bam Bam, Rufus, and Lucy made their way to the locker rooms to change. Months of planning ruined and his silly attempts at trying to throw her off the scent had just made him look like the biggest asshole on the planet…and now she was going to Paris to facedown Garcia Flynn…without him.

 

Oh shit…Lucy was going to Paris without him…just like he had gone to Paris without her. 

 

Panic stole through Wyatt. He could lose her.  Forget Flynn.  She could come back to an entirely new reality just as he had done and everything they had become could be erased from history...except Lucy would remember…everything.  How her last moments with him weren’t moments of excited anticipation, but of a lame ass James Bond movie marathon. 

 

Oh hell. 

 

Wyatt raced towards the locker rooms.  He had to make sure Lucy was safe.  He had to make sure they didn’t change a damn thing.  There was no way in hell he was going to lose her again. 

 

Rufus, always quick to change, met him at the door, “I’m really sorry about all of this, man.  I can’t even imagine how disappointed you must be.”

 

Wyatt gave Rufus a grateful pat on the arm and a handshake, “Thanks man.” he muttered, “It sucks…but maybe…maybe things will work out and we’ll still get to ring in the New Year together.”

 

“That’s the spirit.” Rufus said with a nod.  “You going in?” he asked as he held the door open. 

 

“Yeah…I’m just gonna talk to Bam Bam…you know.” Wyatt said as he swallowed hard. 

 

“Yeah…I know.” Rufus said. He began to walk away, but turned and called back to Wyatt, “Hey…I know I’m not Delta Force, but I swear…I’ll do everything I can to make sure she gets home safe.”

 

Wyatt nodded at Rufus in grateful appreciation and made his way towards Bam Bam who was dressed only in his 1920s undershirt and boxers.  Upon Wyatt’s approach, Bam Bam nodded at him in understanding.  Though he had no memory of what had occurred during the timeline change, he had been informed of what had happened.  Lucy had pretty much demanded such an explanation be given due to the way things ended on their one and only date. “Hey Wyatt…” Bam Bam said sincerely, “I know what you’re going to say and believe me when I tell you, I’ll do everything I can to make sure Lucy gets home in one piece.”  He nodded solemnly, “I will die before I let anything happen to her.  You have my word.”

 

“I love her.” Wyatt explained desperately, “I…I can’t lose her.  I can’t go through that again.  I hope you understand that.”

 

“Absolutely.” Bam Bam replied with a solemn nod of his head.   

 

“Good.” Wyatt said gravely, “Because I’m really sorry about this.” 

 

A look of confusion stole across Bam Bam’s face for one half of a moment before he was sprawled out on the cold hard floor of the locker room, completely knocked out.   How many times had Wyatt wanted to kick Bam Bam’s ass in the past few months?  And now that he had finally done it, he felt like the biggest asshole on the planet. 

 

He didn’t have time to worry about that, though.   

 

As rapidly as he could, Wyatt pulled on the suit that Bam Bam had picked out, cursing the fact that it was cut for his long, lean figure and not Wyatt’s strong and muscular build…but at this point he just didn’t give a damn. 

 

He would go to Paris in his underwear if he needed to. 

 

Deftly skirting out of the locker room, Wyatt skirted past a few chatting interns and nearly yelled out a “Hallelujah!” when he saw that Agent Christopher was up in the conference room with Connor Mason, completely ignoring the goings on in the warehouse. Making a mad dash for the Lifeboat he clambered inside where Lucy and Rufus were already busy buckling themselves in. 

 

“When we get to France,” Lucy was muttering despondently without looking up, “I’ll do the talking. I know you speak French, but this is a completely different era, with different customs and traditions and…”

 

“Not a problem, ma’am.” Wyatt muttered as he quickly buckled himself in, “Shut the door, Rufus.”  he ordered with a wary look out into the warehouse beyond.

 

Lucy’s hands fell from her harness into her lap, leaving the last two buckles hanging idly over her shoulders as she sat there gaping at him. 

 

“Wyatt?  What the hell are you doing here?”  Rufus exclaimed in shock as he turned in his seat to gawk at him. 

 

“I’m going to Paris.” Wyatt responded matter of factly as he leaned forward, giving a still gaping Lucy a smirk as he finished buckling her in, all the while casting nervous glances out into the crowded launch bay. “Close the door, Rufus.” he quickly muttered again as he clicked the last buckle on Lucy’s harness in place and sat back to secure the rest of his own.    

 

“But…but where’s Bam Bam?” Rufus asked in a voice of concern.

 

“I said, shut the door, Rufus” Wyatt stated again as Lucy’s awe-struck expression turned into a smile.  

 

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Rufus asked in a low voice. 

 

“What do you think, Rufus?” Wyatt spat out impatiently.  “Shut the damn door!”

 

“Yeah…but…”

 

“You heard him, Rufus,” interrupted Lucy as she continued to smile at Wyatt, “shut the door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to EVERY single one of you who wanted Wyatt to just kick Bam Bam's ass already. 
> 
> A couple of notes on the history of this....it DRIVES me crazy that Lucy in the show tells Rufus that Hitler gave Lindbergh a medal. Historians don't knock him for that...because objectively, it was a very innocent kind of thing. As I state in here...EVERY government basically awarded him a medal...what he did was ground-breaking, so to point out that Hitler awarded him a medal and that somehow equates him with Nazis was a bit unfair. Yes, he gave a very anti-Semitic speech during war-time, but he was more just a staunch isolationist...and after seeing the Luftwaffe and knowing what Germany was capable of, from a historical analysis standpoint, you kind of understand a bit of his hesitancy. After Pearl Harbor, he embraces the war effort. So this is me, trying to salvage a bit of Lindbergh's reputation, not by glossing over his anti-Semitism, but by throwing some light on what actually happened with him and the Nazis. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this update!!


	40. EPILOGUE PART 5

Wyatt was having a hell of a time concentrating on the mission. 

 

Flynn may have forced down Lindbergh’s plane, kidnapped Lindbergh, and Ernest Hemingway himself, might now be acting as their personal tour guide around Paris, but none of that could hold a candle to Lucy prancing around France in a fringed flapper dress.

 

Hell, he had already been exercising a hell of a lot of self-control over the past several days.

 

After seeing Lucy with that fake engagement ring, it took everything he had not to just propose to her right then and there.  But no… _she_ had said she wanted it to be perfect, and so he was bound and determined to give her “perfect” - which meant he was going to have catch her completely off-guard…which he realized was a hell of a lot harder now that she was expecting it at any moment. 

 

So, he did what any good potential fiancé would do.  He took a step back…threw himself into his post-surgery exercises, asked for extra work…anything to keep himself from completely blowing his chance to make this proposal one that Lucy would always remember.  So, Wyatt worked to build up some space between them; he went to bed before she did, he was up before she woke and aside from a small kiss on the cheek here and there, he had scaled back his attentions to her considerably so that he would not be tempted to jump the gun.     

 

As cliché as it was, Wyatt was dead set, especially after catching her wearing that phony ring at Christmas, on proposing on New Year’s Eve.  His plans for their date may have been set for months, but true to his word, he was holding back on everything in the marriage department until Lucy had given him a sign that she was ready…and now he had it.  Since he already had a romantic venue all set up and an elaborate plan already in place, it would be the most natural thing in the world to get down on one knee in the midst of fireworks and champagne and ask her to marry him.  He had been silently congratulating himself on how the timing for everything had worked out to his advantage…and then Garcia Flynn had to come along and blow it all to hell.    

.  

Wyatt had done his best to hide his disappointment when it was clear that all of his planning had essentially been a waste of time.  He had to hold out that semblance of hope that he could salvage something from this night…if only just to be engaged to Lucy.  He had waited for so damn long, had wanted nothing more than to have her back as his wife…and but damn it all if Garcia Flynn didn’t seem to have it out for him and his chance for happiness.  Still, it was Paris.  How could he ever forget the disappointment on Lucy’s face all those months ago when she was told she would not be going to save the Treaty of Versailles?  That mission was the start of a change in their relationship, it was the mission that preceded the one that brought them together… 

 

It was almost like fate. 

 

Except Wyatt was not supposed to believe in that sort of thing.  Now, however, he was thinking he had been a bit short-sighted about that…and he had never been happier to be wrong.       

 

Of course, technically _he_ wasn’t supposed to be here…but Wyatt really didn’t give a damn. Especially now that Lucy was laughing and dancing to the music of old jazz in a 1920s Paris speakeasy. 

 

He wouldn’t have missed this for the world.

 

Memorable setting? Check.

 

Romantic scenery? Check.

 

Celebratory atmosphere? Check.

 

All he needed was the chance to catch her off guard and pop the question and that, coupled with Lucy’s maddening attire was enough to keep him plenty distracted. 

 

Rufus, it seemed, was doing no better.  It had been clear back at Mason that Rufus was a fan of Josephine Baker, despite his lame attempts at denying it.  If he was a stammering fool back in the present over the soulful songstress, it was nothing to how he was now.  Rufus was practically drooling into his club soda watching her perform onstage at the swanky little gin joint Ernest Hemingway had led them too. 

 

Nudging him in the arm, Wyatt called him on it, “You might want to tone down that creep vibe you got going on there, Rufus.” he said with a chuckle, “You’re looking at her like you know what she looks like without her clothes on.”

 

Rufus gave Wyatt a sidelong glance, “I kinda do.” he admitted sheepishly. “I should have known about her being a big deal in Paris…I mean, she lived here…died here.  That woman,” he said as he pointed to her onstage, “was my first love.”

 

“I had no idea you were such a fan of old jazz, Rufus.” Lucy observed with a smirk.

 

“I wasn’t…I was a fan of her album covers.” he admitted unabashedly.

 

Lucy and Wyatt exchanged amused looks.  “Yes,” Lucy said with a wide grin, “Josephine Baker is known for her…well, let’s just say she caused an international stir when she performed in nothing but a girdle covered in artificial bananas.”

 

Wyatt choked on his drink, “What?”

 

“That was some vintage porn, my friend.” Rufus sighed in remembrance.  “That particular album cover got me through some lonely nights.”

 

“I’m sure it did.” Lucy said with a smirk towards Wyatt. “But you have Jiya now.” she reminded him.

 

“And I’m pretty damn sure she wouldn’t like to know you were ogling some chick who is old enough to be your grandmother.”  Wyatt added.

 

“Oh, you’re both ones to talk.  Kate Drummond?” Rufus asked Wyatt pointedly.  “Yeah, pretty sure I remember you going on about wanting to buy her a drink or two back there on that first mission.”

 

Wyatt’s mouth hung open as he looked towards Lucy who had pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows in apparent agreement. “No…that was…that was different.” Wyatt stammered. “I was just trying to get information.”

 

“Whatever Wyatt, you hovered around her like she was honey to your bee.”  Rufus shot back as he mimicked with a roll of his eyes, “Hey Lucy and Rufus why don’t you two figure out a way to land the damn Hindenburg, while Kate and I take care of a few things in the kitchen.”

 

“There was a bomb in there, Rufus!” Wyatt spat out defensively, “Which I ‘m pretty sure neither one of you knew how to diffuse.”

 

“Pretty sure Kate didn’t either” Rufus mumbled under his breath much to Wyatt’s chagrin.  He grumbled to himself, turning away from them as he folded his arms across the bar top.   

 

Lucy however, found the whole situation highly amusing.  Nudging Wyatt in the arm, she playfully added, “You did kinda have a thing for her.”

 

“Just like you had a thing for Robert Todd Lincoln.” Rufus quipped glibly as he sipped on his club soda. 

 

“Wha…?” Lucy gasped out as her eyes darted from Rufus to Wyatt who now, instead of sulking sullenly, had the hint of a smile on his face as he brought his own drink to his lips looking every bit like he not only agreed with Rufus’ observation, but that it was high time Lucy got called out for her past liaisons with the President’s son.   “I did not…he…he asked _me_ to the play!”

 

“You could have said _no_.” Wyatt muttered with a shrug, still not turning from the bar. 

 

“And why would I do that? We were there to stop Flynn from murdering Grant.  Grant was at the play…so I went.”

   

“And bought a new dress.” Wyatt reminded her.

 

“I couldn’t go to a play in what I was wearing…that’s not how things were done then.” Lucy uttered defensively, her face flushing in embarrassment.

 

“I wasn’t talking about the play, actually.” Rufus said with a smack of his lips.  “I was talking about _after_ the play with all that hand holding and _Robert_ , business.”  Rufus gave his head a little shake and sighed, “Deny it all you want, Lucy but Juliet Shakesman was a player…old Robert Todd Lincoln didn’t know what hit him when he met you.”

 

“His father had just been murdered right in front of him…I was merely trying to…I hardly think that after _one_ night…” she tried to explain, but Wyatt and Rufus’s faces broke out into knowing grins and Lucy had just about had enough of it.  “What?” she scoffed irritably.

 

“Oh, it was more than just one night.” Rufus stated matter of factly, a bemused expression on his face. 

 

“C’mon, Rufus.” Wyatt chided as he turned around on his bar stool and gave Lucy a small smirk, “That’s not really fair.”

 

“What’s not really fair?” Lucy demanded as she looked between Rufus and Wyatt once more.

 

“She can’t technically be held accountable for…”

 

“I can’t be held accountable for what?” Lucy demanded as she folded her arms in front of her and narrowed her eyes at the two of them.  “Spill it.”

 

Wyatt groaned as he tried to explain, “It’s just that…in the other timeline you sort of…”

 

“Robert Todd Lincoln saw you in your underwear.” Rufus finished for him without hesitation or further explanation.

 

“WHAT?!” Lucy exclaimed a little louder than she intended.  Flinching as the sound of her own voice resonated over even the band playing onstage, Lucy dropped her voice into a whisper as she hissed, “What do you mean he saw me in my underwear?!”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes at Rufus and gave him a disapproving glare, “It wasn’t as bad as all that.” Wyatt assured, “He didn’t know who you were…you were pretty adamant that he not see your face.”

 

“Oh.” Lucy breathed out in relief, grateful that at least some semblance of propriety existed for Juliet Shakesman.   Still, she couldn’t imagine under what circumstances she would be found by Robert Todd Lincoln in less than somewhat formal attire.  “How on Earth did he see me in my underwear?” Lucy asked, before adding nervously, “Do I even want to know?”

 

“Relax.” Wyatt assured, “You weren’t doing anything… _unladylike_ …despite what Rufus may think.”

 

Rufus cast Wyatt a doubtful look and muttered, “Yeah…sure, she just happened to lose her dress in the middle of the damn Draft Riots.”

 

“What is he talking about, Wyatt?” Lucy demanded. 

 

“ _Nothing_ happened, Rufus.” Wyatt argued as he turned in his chair to face him.  “We had just run all over Manhattan, dodging rioters in the rain and Lucy…got hot.”

 

“I’m sure she did.” Rufus quipped. 

 

Lucy covered her face with her hands as she gritted out to Wyatt, “Are you telling me that you and I were...” she lowered her voice to an almost inaudible whisper, “messing around in the middle of the New York City Draft Riots?!”

 

“No.” Wyatt maintained with a stern look to a disbelieving Rufus.  “Lucy, it was completely innocent…” but at her glare he amended, “okay, I might have been a little distracted by you in your underwear, but nothing happened.  In fact, you kind of threw up.”

 

“Why did I…?” but at the flicker of sadness in Wyatt’s eyes, Lucy understood, “Oh…right.”

 

Wyatt, not wanting Lucy to dwell on something that brought them both pain, quickly pressed on, “It was raining and we had just been chased into a barn by a bunch of racist assholes, you weren’t feeling well, so I left to get us a hotel room…and that’s when Flynn’s guy nabbed you.”

 

“In my underwear?” Lucy asked with raised eyebrows. 

 

“Oh yes…in the rain no less.” Rufus said with a nod, “But I did my best to keep you decent when I found you.”

 

“You found me?” she asked Rufus with a smirk. 

 

“Yes, I did.  Though sometimes I wish I would have just minded my own damn business.  I don’t know what was worse, the buggy ride from hell, the near lynching, or the after-action reports.”

Wyatt chuckled to himself but Lucy, completely oblivious to what he meant, shook her head in confusion, “And how does Robert Todd Lincoln factor into all of this?”

 

“He saved you both from a bunch of rioters” Wyatt explained, “they attacked you right outside the hotel… he just happened to be staying there too.”

 

“Of course, he was.” Lucy muttered as she threw up her hands in exasperation.  “And you’re sure he didn’t see my face?”

 

“Pretty sure.” Rufus quipped.  “You gave me one hell of a lecture as to why that would be a bad thing.”

 

Lucy smiled at herself, hearing that no matter the timeline she was still very much _her_.  “So,” she maintained to Rufus, “He _didn’t_ see me, then that doesn’t count.”

 

“I wasn’t finished.” he replied with raised eyebrows.  “He may have unknowingly saved your half-naked ass in New York during the Draft Riots, but _you_ were all cozy to him before that, if I remember correctly…well, I guess technically it was after 1863…but still.”

 

Lucy stared at Rufus in utter disbelief, “What are you talking about?  I already told you, there was no cozying up to him going on.  I was doing my _job_.  His father had _just been murdered_.  What kind of person would I be if I had just left him there, without so much as a word?  I was his _date_ for heaven’s sakes.”

 

“No, Lucy” Wyatt explained, “He’s not talking about 1865, he’s talking about 1869 when you and Robert Todd Lincoln ditched Rufus and I to go on an up close personal tour of Promontory Point…which, I might add, nearly got you killed.”

 

Lucy gaped at him, hardly daring to believe that she had run into Robert Todd Lincoln, not one, not twice…but three times in history.  “What?!” You’ve got to be kidding…I mean, what are the odds of that happening?”

 

“As it turns out, pretty good.” Rufus muttered as he smacked his lips together. “One might even call it fate.”

 

Lucy flushed violently beside Wyatt, remembering what Robert Todd Lincoln had said to her by the train station in Washington, DC.  Rufus noting this pointed at her with a grin, “See…you’re blushing.  I knew you had a crush on that guy.”

 

“I did not!” Lucy spat out indignantly, “He just…he’s…

 

“He’s old enough to be your great great grandpa.” Rufus finished for her.  “Say what you want about me, but you, especially, have no room to talk, Lucy Preston.  Hell, other you was married to Wyatt and you still ran off with Robert Todd Lincoln like he was the be all, end all.”

 

“To be fair,” Wyatt admitted defensively, “I had been an ass that day…If I were Lucy, I probably would’ve walked off with Robert Todd Lincoln too.”

 

“Uh-huh” Rufus said unconvinced.  “Ass or no, I’m pretty sure, _Juliet Shakesman_ holds a small candle for Robert Todd…and I wouldn’t be surprised if the feeling was a bit mutual.”  Rufus took another drink of his club soda, “Didn’t he name a school after you?”

 

Lucy flushed again, “I don’t know that it was _his_ idea, Rufus.”

 

“Oh, I’m sure it was.” Rufus quipped.  Don’t sell yourself short, _Juliet_. “          

 

Lucy rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her own club soda as Wyatt chuckled into his own drink at the bar.  They listened to Josephine Baker as she finished the final chorus of _Lonesome Lovesick Blues;_ Rufus nearly mesmerized by whom he called the “Creole Goddess” before Ernest Hemingway made his way over to them and interrupted his inner musings.  “Isn’t she remarkable?” he said with a grin as he joined Wyatt, Lucy and Rufus at the bar.  “If there’s anyone who can help you find the folks you’re looking for, Josie can.”

 

Rufus’ breath hitched in his throat, “Jo…Josie?  You mean, you actually know her?”

 

“Of course!” Hemingway said a good-natured laugh, “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”   

 

Wyatt had to bite back a laugh as Rufus, bug-eyed and almost catatonic, shook hands with Josephine Baker. She was stunning, no doubt, but the way Rufus stared at her with his mouth hanging slightly agape was truly something to behold. 

 

“Lindy and me” she simpered as she settled herself on the barstool Rufus had just vacated, “we’re both from St. Louis, so if there’s any chance he survived, I want to help.”

 

“I’m…I’m from the Midwest too.” stammered Rufus, with a dopey grin on his face, “Chicago.” he clarified.  “So we’re…ya know…practically neighbors.”

 

“Mmmm…Windy City.” Josephine Baker remarked with a quirked brow, “Tell me, how hard do you blow?”

 

If that wasn’t enough to raise Wyatt’s eyebrows through the roof, Rufus’ response certainly was, “Um…su…super hard.”

 

Lucy smacked Wyatt on the arm as he let out another chuckle, while Ernest Hemingway and Josephine Baker collected the antiqued photos they had made up of Garcia Flynn and his henchmen. “We’ll ask around and see if any of our friends have seen them.” Josephine assured. 

 

She gave Rufus a smile and wink before she left, which made Rufus grip onto the barstool, apparently to keep from falling onto the floor.  “Do me a favor,” he murmured to Lucy as he watched her walk away, “don’t tell Jiya about any of this.”

 

                                                            *******************

 

Teaming up with Ernest Hemingway was not supposed to be part of the plan.  He may have been awarded a Medal in World War I, but Lucy had told Wyatt on the side that he had just been an ambulance driver for the Red Cross and that he had gotten injured handing out cigarettes and chocolate on the front lines…and that he might possibly have been drunk.

 

He wasn’t sure if she was talking about then or now, because now, he was most definitely wasted. 

 

Hemingway had insisted that he was perfect for the job of tracking down Flynn and his band of assholes to the shabby palais they were supposedly holed up in.  They hadn’t a clue where they were going, they were trying to make this mission as short as possible, and Hemingway was not going to take no for an answer.  He “smelled adventure” he said, and so Wyatt begrudgingly agreed to allow him to tag along…if anything, to help them navigate the streets of 1927 Paris. 

 

The problem was that now he had another person to ditch while trying to salvage his night with Lucy.  He knew, of course, that they were on a mission, and as such, they should stick to being professional…and by all outward appearances he was.  Inwardly, however, he was fighting a losing battle with his self-control…especially now that Lucy was walking a few feet in front of him, the tassels of her dress swinging provocatively as she sashayed down the narrow Parisian lane talking animatedly with Ernest Hemingway. 

 

“Wyatt!”

 

Startling suddenly, Wyatt’s eyes darted up from Lucy’s swaying hips to the accusing glare of Rufus. Narrowing his eyes, Wyatt shrugged, “What?”

 

“Don’t give me that, what.” Rufus accused.  “You’re gonna get us killed if you don’t put your eyeballs back in your head where they belong.”  

 

“C’mon, Rufus.” Wyatt groaned awkwardly, “we haven’t even seen Flynn…I was just keeping an eye on Lucy…”

 

“Tell me about it.” Rufus scoffed.  “I’d appreciate you keeping an eye on all of us…some of us still want to make it home before midnight….and preferably all in one piece.”

 

Huffing out a breath and determined to rid himself of distraction, Wyatt quickened his step so that he was walking alongside Lucy, rather than behind her, casting Rufus a quick sheepish glance as he did so. 

 

“…oh, yes it’s all the rage these days.” Hemingway was saying to Lucy.  “In fact, makes you almost want to get one yourself just to be part of the in-crowd.”

 

“Get what?” Wyatt asked as he walked in time with Lucy, scanning the streets for any sign of Flynn or his henchman. 

 

“A divorce.” Lucy explained with a small chuckle.  “Paris was…I mean… _is_ known as the Reno of Europe.  It became fashionable a few years ago to come here for a quickie divorce rather than go through the courts back in the States.”

 

“And here I thought Paris was the city of love…” Wyatt said sardonically

 

“Oh, it is.” Hemingway assured, “For some, they may only see it as a divorce mill…but for others,” Hemingway remarked as he paused dramatically, “Well, if you are ever lucky enough to have lived in Paris, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you. Paris is a moveable feast.”   

 

Lucy made a little gasp and excitedly blurted out, “ _A Moveable Feast!_   Yes, I loved that memoi...I mean…”she flushed as she corrected herself, “what a great book title that would make someday.”

 

“You think so?” Hemingway asked with a shrug.  “I don’t know…I’ve got an idea for one now…I always like to draw from my own experiences...you know?  Make things more real.  What about this, an American ambulance driver is wounded at the Italian Front and falls in love with a beautiful nurse in charge of his care?”

 

Isn’t that the exact synopsis of _In Love and War?_ Rufus asked before Lucy elbowed him in the ribs. 

 

“ _In Love and War_?” what’s that? Ernest Hemingway asked, “a book?”

 

“No...it’s uh…um…” Rufus stammered before Wyatt interrupted, “No, you’re thinking of _A Farewell t_ ….ow!” Wyatt exclaimed as Lucy kicked him in the shin. 

 

“It’s nothing,” Lucy spat out quickly, “just a movie that didn’t really make a” she hesitated trying to fight the right word, “splash…but I think you have something there.  A tale of star-crossed lovers, during the backdrop of the Great War?  Instant classic.”     

 

“You really think so?” Hemingway asked. 

 

“Absolutely.” Lucy answered as she shot a nervous, yet meaningful glance towards Wyatt and Rufus, “I think we should keep moving, don’t you?”

 

As Hemingway took the lead, Rufus hissed at Lucy, “What the hell was that about?”

 

“ _In Love and War?_  Rufus, that movie is based on Ernest Hemingway’s real life love affair with Agnes von Kuroswky.” Lucy whispered harshly.  “And you!  He was talking about _that_ book.” she hissed at Wyatt in frustration. 

 

“And?” Wyatt asked her blankly.

 

“And it hasn’t been published yet.  He won’t publish until two years from now!” Lucy explained.  “So you aren’t supposed to know about it yet.”  Lucy huffed out an exasperated breath, “What is with you tonight?  You seem awfully…”

 

“Distracted?” Rufus finished for her as he cast a meaningful glance at Wyatt, “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.”

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh, “Alright, alright…I’ll try to be a bit more focused.” As Lucy nodded and sashayed away again, however, Wyatt’s attention once more drifted to her swaying skirts…that is until Rufus loudly cleared his throat beside him. “Sorry.” Wyatt muttered as he frowned and sped up to rejoin Lucy.   

 

He tried to keep his mind on the mission, kept reminding himself that the faster they found Flynn, the sooner he and Lucy could be alone, but it was Paris…and Lucy…well, she was radiant.  She was beautiful, of course, in any timeline, but tonight…the dress she was wearing sparkled in  the moonlight, surrounding her in an almost ethereal glow as she pranced along chatting merrily with Ernest Hemingway about his experiences in World War I and his friendships with F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso.  She was positively glowing…and Wyatt couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. 

 

They were just crossing the Seine via the Pont Neuf, when Wyatt, had had just about all he could take. There she was, amid a backdrop of the Eiffel tower glittering off to the one side of them and Notre Dame Cathedral on the other…a picture-perfect setting in one of the most romantic cities in the world.  It couldn’t be more perfect if he had tried. 

So, while Rufus was listening intently to Hemingway’s admiration for the engineering marvel that was the medieval bridge they were crossing, Wyatt tugged at Lucy’s arm and pulled to the far side of the nearby equestrian statue of Henry IV. 

 

“Wyatt, what are you doing?” Lucy asked in confusion as she tripped along behind him, only to have him wrap her up in his arms and silence any further questions with a passionate kiss. Lucy whimpered slightly as Wyatt’s hand drifted from the small of her back slowly up her spine, sending shivers throughout her body.  Braced between him and the black iron fence surrounding the statue, she was grateful to have something solid to cling to as she was sure she was in danger of melting completely away. Breathless and panting she pulled away from him slightly and gasped, “What was that for?”

 

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself…ma’am.” Wyatt said with a soft smile as he kissed her hand. Disarmed by the sweetness of his gaze, Lucy didn’t object when Wyatt tugged her even closer and ghosted kisses across her face, “I’ve been wanting to get you alone all night.” he muttered.

 

“We’re on a mission, Wyatt.” Lucy reminded him.

 

“I know…I know that.” he nodded as he swallowed hard, suddenly overcome with nerves, “Lucy, it’s just that…this isn’t how I had imagined…I mean…tonight was...and it’s ya know…Paris…”

 

“Lucy!? Wyatt!?” Rufus’ concerned voice called out from the street. 

 

Wyatt heaved out a sigh of frustration, but as Lucy moved to rejoin Rufus, he pulled her back desperately, “No…just…just...let Rufus keep Hemingway company for a little while longer, okay?”

 

“Okay…” Lucy said in confusion, “But, he’s going to start worrying if we don’t let him know where we are.”

 

“Let him worry.” Wyatt said determinedly, his hands gripping Lucy’s as if for dear life, “Lucy…I just…I have to…”

 

“Lucy!  Wyatt!!” came Rufus’ worried voice again, “Where are you guys?”

 

Lucy cast an “I told you so” look to Wyatt and turned to leave once more, “C’mon Wyatt, Rufus is worried…”

 

“He’ll be fine.” Wyatt argued as he tugged her back, much to her exasperation. 

 

“Do you want to save Lindbergh or not?” she asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist. 

 

“Is that a rhetorical question?” Wyatt asked with a devilish smirk. 

 

“We have to save him…it’s our job.” Lucy reminded him.  “We have to make sure this transatlantic flight is recorded.  Besides,” she added with a sigh, “Rufus is….”

 

“Lucy!  Wyatt!!” Rufus’ voice rang out in panic.    

 

Lucy quirked her brow at a crest-fallen Wyatt.  “Right here, Rufus!” she called as she straightened her dress and stepped around the statue, Wyatt begrudgingly falling behind in her wake. 

 

As they emerged from their hiding place, Hemingway raised his eyebrows knowingly, offering Wyatt a congratulatory wink as Rufus rounded on him. “What the hell were you two doing over there?” Rufus asked suspiciously. 

 

“Nothing.” Wyatt mumbled somewhat truthfully. 

 

“Uh-huh…well, you make sure it stays nothing.” Rufus reprimanded as Lucy left the two of them to join Hemingway.  “I know your New Year’s Eve plans got blown to all kinds of hell.” Rufus whispered harshly to Wyatt, “but that doesn’t mean you get to ditch me so you can make out with Lucy in every dark corner you see.”  Wyatt stared back at Rufus stoically who added, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” 

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes and followed the rest of the group, kicking at the pavement in frustration as the night grew later.  Something that earned him reproving glares from both Lucy and Rufus as they tried to keep up with a very talkative Ernest Hemingway.   

 

“Josie’s friend is a prostitute…a good one.” Wyatt heard him remark to Lucy and Rufus as they made their way into the abandoned old wreck of what looked to have been once a grand house in the heart of Paris.   “And if I know anything about prostitutes…and believe me, I do,” he said with a meaningful wink to Wyatt and Rufus, “they never forget a face.  If Josie’s friend says they were here…they were here.” 

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes at Hemingway as he stepped inside the darkened and dusty palais.  Broken glass littered the floor, cobwebs hung in every corner, the bannister of the grand staircase was split and broken in several places.  “Cozy.” Rufus coughed out as he blew years’ worth of dust off of the ornate mantel piece. 

 

Cozy was right.

 

Coming up with a plan, Wyatt cleared his throat, “Um…why don’t we split up?  Search the house?  Rufus…you and Hemingway can take that side of the house, Lucy and I will take this side.”

 

Rufus stared at him, “You sure you don’t think it’s smarter if we stay together?”

 

“No.” Wyatt maintained meaningfully, “If you want to make it back in time for…” he hesitated looking at Ernest Hemingway, “you know…midnight…then splitting up will make this go a hell of a lot faster. And, “he added with a significant nod, “Hemingway will make sure you won’t get your ass kicked.”

 

“Ha!” came the barking laugh of Ernest Hemingway not catching Wyatt’s full meaning, “True, I have wrestled a few heathens in my day!” he took a swig from the bottle of brandy he had in his coat pocket before continuing, “but I hate to break it to you, it’s already past midnight.”

 

“Not by my watch.” Wyatt muttered to himself as he tugged Lucy by the hand towards the far side of the house. 

 

Wyatt pushed his way through rooms that were littered with debris and peeling wall paper.  His eyes scanning the environs of each for only a moment, before pushing on to the next, finally finding themselves in a quaint room towards the rear of the house.  The view from the window looked out to an overgrown garden, but it leant to a feeling of being a world away from the busy Parisian streets.  Lucy searched the closets and shuffled through some of the paper that littered the floor, looking for any sign that someone had been using this house as a makeshift hideout.  Wyatt, however, seemed to be more interested in the old Victrola that stood in the corner.  Smiling to himself, he made his way over to the machine, blowing off an old vinyl record before attempting to get the machine started. 

 

Curious, Lucy turned to see what he was up to, “Wyatt?” Lucy asked with a small laugh, “what on Earth are you doing?”  Making her way over to him, she shook her head, “No…you have to wind it up, like this…” she demonstrated as he stood back and watched her as she gently placed the needle down on the old vinyl record.  The soft sounds of “ _I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”_ began to echo throughout the near empty space and Lucy smiled triumphantly, “See, it’s not so har…” she paused as her eyes met Wyatt’s who was gazing at her intently. “Wyatt…?”

 

Pulling her close, Wyatt pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before taking her hand in his, his other hand gently splayed on her back, and began to dance with her.  They swayed back and forth in time to the music, Wyatt resting his head against Lucy’s as they carved out a small little piece of heaven amidst the hell of searching for Garcia Flynn. Lucy, completely bewildered by Wyatt’s behavior finally pulled him to a stop.  “Wyatt," she chuckled, "we’re supposed to be looking for Lindbergh…if Flynn…”

 

“I don’t want to talk about Flynn” Wyatt murmured as he brushed a hand across her cheek. 

 

Lucy looked back at him in confusion and then stunned surprise as she noted that there was not the slightest hint of teasing in Wyatt’s voice.  The look of longing in his eyes had rendered her almost speechless, until a sudden movement outside one of the windows caught his attention. 

 

‘Shit.” he hissed as he grabbed Lucy and pulled her down to the floor just as a spray of bullets came pelting through the windows filling the room with the sound of shattering glass. “Are you okay?” Wyatt asked as he ran his hands along Lucy’s side. 

 

Coughing from the upset of dust, Lucy nodded as Wyatt grabbed her hand and the two of them ducked out of the room, another spray of bullets following them as they left. Racing into the large foyer they nearly ran into Hemingway and Rufus as they came rushing from their side of the house wondering what was going on.  Wyatt didn’t even have a chance to explain, when he saw one of Flynn’s henchman skulking around outside, “Everybody get down!” he gritted out as he drew his gun. More gunshots pierced the already broken windows as Lucy, Rufus and Ernest Hemingway hit the floor in a cloud of dust and shattered glass. 

 

Peeking out of the now paneless window, Wyatt caught a glimpse of their attacker skirting around the side of the palais.  “Stay here.” he ordered as he took off after him, ignoring Lucy’s pleas to stay. 

 

Wyatt ran out into the warm, Parisian night, determined to end this damn goose chase once and for all, he was already mad as hell that Flynn had ruined his evening…now he had almost killed Lucy and well, to put it bluntly, Wyatt was tired of this bullshit. He wasn’t going to lose her again…and he would be damned if he was about to let Flynn completely derail any more of his plans for the evening.  Taking careful aim, he made two shots, both of which, hit their mark and landed the goon in an overgrown hedgerow in the garden.  Wyatt realized as soon as he turned back to the house, that he made a mistake in killing the asshole who had shot at them.  Flynn and Lindbergh could literally be anywhere…and quite possibly, aware of their presence now, after that little gunfight.  Upon reentering the house however, he realized that he had made another mistake; he stupidly believed he could trust a drunken Ernest Hemingway and Rufus to keep an eye on Lucy while he ran in pursuit of one of Flynn’s henchmen. 

 

Obviously, he couldn’t…because now she was missing. 

 

“Not one of you saw what the hell happened to her?” he spat out angrily. 

 

“I was…um…indisposed.” Hemingway said in his defense as he pointed at Rufus who looked at Wyatt with such apologetic sorrow, it was almost hard to be mad at him. 

 

Almost. 

 

“What the hell, Rufus?” Wyatt shouted in frustration.  “You let Flynn take off with her again?”

 

“She was here!” Rufus exclaimed defensively.  “She was right here!  I left to make sure Hemingway wasn’t going to die…I swear, Wyatt…I left her alone for less than a minute…and she was just gone.”

 

A litany of curse words escaped Wyatt as he fought hard to keep the mounting panic in his chest at bay. “Lucy!!” he called, but it was no use…his voice echoed off the bare walls of the chateau only serving to reinforce the idea that she had essentially vanished into thin air.   

 

Memories of 1780 came flooding back into his mind; of Flynn dragging Lucy through the New York wilderness and into the waiting Mothership.  1889 Johnstown, too, made an appearance, though Wyatt refused to dwell on those particular memories. 

 

Lucy was fine.

 

She had to be. 

 

“Hey, hey…calm down. It’ll be okay.” Hemingway said as he tried to dispel the tension. “How about a little medicine?” he offered as he pulled a bottle out of his pocket. 

 

“Are you kidding me?” Rufus asked him incredulously, “Your drinking is what got us into this mess.”

 

“Oh, stop sounding like a woman.” Hemingway scoffed as he took a drink of alcohol completely missing Wyatt and Rufus exchanged looks, both men thinking the same thing; it was a good thing Lucy hadn’t heard him say that.  “Right now,” he said with a dramatic flourish, “there are countless people buried in the catacombs below us.  Death, my friends, is everywhere.”

 

“What a happy thought.” Rufus said sarcastically as he threw up his hands in exasperation.  Wyatt, meanwhile, was breathing out curses and searching the perimeter for any sign of where Lucy might have been taken, not wanting to think about death at all.    

 

“So, what are my choices?” Hemingway continued, undeterred by Rufus and Wyatt’s seemingly lack of interest in his soliloquy.   “Give up? Curl into a ball and die? Or live and drink and fight and screw on behalf of those who can’t?” 

 

“You are a world class jerk, Hemingway.” Rufus spat back at him with a concerned look towards a near frantic Wyatt.  “Do you even care that Lucy is missing?”

 

“Of course I do, but you can either stand there like a corpse or be a man and fight!”

 

“Fight?” Rufus asked incredulously, “fight who?  Do you see anybody in this whole house that we can fight?  Because I sure as hell don’t!”

 

“Have either one of you ever been in a war?” Hemingway asked, “Because I have…”

 

“As an ambulance driver.” Wyatt pointed out.  “For the Red Cross.”

 

“I took shrapnel.” Hemingway said with a nod.  “Earned myself the Bronze Star for bravery.”

 

“Congratulations.” Wyatt muttered as he went back to search for any sign of where Lucy could have gone, not desiring to waste any more time chatting with the self-important author. 

 

Rufus, however, had had his fill.  “I have fought the Germans, the Shawnee, the French, the British, cowboys, killers…people you couldn’t even imagine.  And no, I may not have fought in the Great War…which, by the way, sounds like the most pointless war in the history of wars, but I have fought!”

 

Far from being deterred by Rufus’ speech, Hemingway grinned broadly and slapped him on the back, “That’s the spirit, Rufus!  Now how about a toast?”

 

Fed up with Hemingway’s speeches and pissed as hell that he wanted to sit around and drink while Lucy was missing, Wyatt wrenched the bottle out of Hemingway’s hand and smashed it to the floor.  “Oops.” he spat out sardonically as he rolled his eyes at Hemingway’s affronted expression.

 

If Hemingway was offended, however, he did not stay so for long.  With a sad look to the floor, he shook his head and muttered, “Well, that is unfortunate.”  Wyatt said nothing more. Instead, he stepped away, the crunch of broken glass under his feet and the distinct sound of wasted liquid trickling into the depth below them. 

 

“The Catacombs.” Rufus whispered as his eyes darted to Wyatt’s.  Turning once more to Hemingway he sought for confirmation, “You said there were catacombs below us?”

 

“Well, yes.” Ernest Hemingway said with a shrug.  “So?”

 

“So, what if Flynn isn’t in any of these buildings?” Wyatt mumbled thoughtfully.  “What if he’s underneath us?”

 

 **********************

 

Lucy was having a hell of a time.  In the moment that Rufus had gone to check on a doubled over Ernest Hemingway, she had been assaulted from behind, hand over her mouth and carried from the palais in a matter of seconds.  They hadn’t gone very far, for right outside the ramshackle mansion, was the entrance to the catacombs where she was currently being pulled and dragged by not one, but two of Flynn’s henchmen. 

 

“Get your hands off me!” she gritted out angrily as she tried to wrench her arms out of their grips, but it was to no avail.  They roughly led her through the twisting, turning labyrinth of tunnels until she was face to face with none other than Garcia Flynn, himself.  “Will you tell them to let me go?” she spat out at Flynn.

 

“Let her go.” he obliged lazily as he shook his head at her.  “Come to wish me a Happy New Year, Lucy?”

 

“No.” she replied shortly. She wanted to say he had ruined her New Year’s, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to complain about a trip to Paris, even if she was currently standing in the musty ancient burial ground that was the catacombs.  “Your men nabbed me.” She corrected as she stared daggers at him.  “I had no choice in the matter.”

 

“You always have a choice, Lucy.” Flynn countered with a smug smile.  “You could have stayed home and enjoyed your holiday...spent time with family.”

 

Lucy’s eyes darted to his, flashing in anger, “You knew…didn’t you?  You knew that my father was Rittenhouse.  You told me at the Hindenburg they had chosen me for a reason…and that’s why isn’t it?  Why didn’t you just tell me?”

 

“Because some things you have to learn for yourself.”  Flynn said with a shrug.  “You don’t even want to believe that this journal” he said as he pulled it out of his coat pocket, “was written by you…that you gave it to me…what makes you think you would’ve believed me if I had told you the truth about your family?”

 

He had her there. There was no way in hell she would’ve believed anything Garcia Flynn had to say on that front…not at first, anyway...though she had to admit that now, more than ever, she was questioning what was right or wrong anymore.  Rittenhouse…Garcia Flynn…which one posed the bigger threat?

 

 _It’s like the swing of a pendulum, Lucy._ Wyatt had said when she asked him the same question. Both of them were dangerous…both of them worked on the extremes.  She had to somehow survive somewhere in the middle. 

 

They all did. 

 

Catching her hesitancy, Flynn pressed further, “You had to see with your own eyes who they are and why you will fight them.”

 

“Because everybody knows my future except me.” Lucy bit back indignantly.  “Where’s Lindbergh?” Flynn smirked as he indicated a small anteroom that was barred with a door. “What do you want with him?  You’ve already ruined his historic flight.”

 

“Yes, well…eventually we will kill him.” Flynn said as if he were trying to assure her of his nefarious reputation. “Right now, however, I’m trying to convince him to give me the names of some of his father’s Rittenhouse acquaintances in Congress.”  He chuckled dryly, “As you can imagine, that’s not going so well.”

 

“What if I talk to him?” Lucy offered.  “Rittenhouse to Rittenhouse?” Claiming such a connection may have made her want to vomit, but she was determined. “He gives you the information you want…and you let him go?  Deal?”

 

“You know in about a decade he becomes a monumental ass?” Flynn asked sardonically.

 

“So?  What if I can convince him to…to…leave Rittenhouse? To…”

 

“To turn his back on all of that wealth, fame, power, notoriety?”  Flynn finished for her doubtfully.  “Do you honestly believe anyone would give all of that up?”

 

“Yes.” Lucy said in a voice filled with emotion.  “Because I would…I mean, I did.” 

 

Yet even as she said it, there was a small voice in the back of her head that haunted her…the voice of her newly discovered father, Benjamin Cahill, that told her she couldn’t escape from her destiny, her legacy.  She was Rittenhouse whether she liked it or not…and that was something she was going to have to come to grips with sooner or later. 

 

Flynn nodded thoughtfully at her, looking more than a little impressed.  “Alright, fine.” He agreed.  “I’ll take that bet…it’ll be entertaining to watch you lose anyway.”

 

Feeling as if it were more than just Charles Lindbergh’s life on the line, Lucy nodded at Flynn determinedly as he opened the door to the anteroom and ushered her in with a dramatic swoop of his arm.  Lucy startled back in surprise as there before her was the man she had studied nearly all of her life, looking nothing like the proud hero she had seen in countless books.  Instead, he looked broken, scared and in a considerable amount of pain. 

 

“Are…are you alright?” Lucy asked in a trembling voice. 

 

“Just a dislocated arm.” Lindbergh replied casually, “What does that lunatic want with us anyway?”

 

“He knows we’re both Rittenhouse.” Lucy admitted quickly in a breathy voice.    

 

Though Lindbergh tried to deny it at first, Lucy put him at ease, by revealing her own family connections and the little she knew of the organization.  He may have been more aware of his Rittenhouse lineage than she did, but as she sat there looking at him, she felt at once, that he was really no different than she was.  He had spent his entire life trying to please his father, being told that great things were expected of him, and feeling like he really had no choice in the matter.  When he told her that his dream was to live on a small farm and raise a family, it made her heart ache for the simple life she also wanted for herself…a simple life with Wyatt. 

 

Wyatt.

 

Lucy knew he was probably half way to insane with worry by now, but she also couldn’t leave Lindbergh to die at Flynn’s hands…even if he had already altered his historic flight. She wondered how that might affect the timeline.  If Lindbergh didn’t become the world’s greatest aviator, would he get that first-hand look at the Luftwaffe?  It was Lindbergh, after all, who recommended that Britain and France strengthen their air power to dissuade Hitler.  Would he still be in the position to do that? Would he be called upon to lead the American First Committee?  And if he wasn’t...would that mean Rittenhouse lost?

 

Not that Lindbergh’s efforts undermined the Allied efforts in the end…after Pearl Harbor even he couldn’t deny the need to fight back.  But still…they would have lost their “golden fly boy”, their mouthpiece…that had to make some kind of negative impact on Rittenhouse, right?

 

Oh God…what if it didn’t? What if it made things worse? 

 

Lucy sat staring at Lindbergh as he spoke to her of his doubts, and the hopes and dreams he had had…and she suddenly became keenly aware that his story was not unlike her own. Her mother had plotted out a course for her life.  Stanford. She had to teach at Stanford.  Not the small-town college in Ohio she had had her heart set on.  No.  That was not what she had been brought up for.  She wondered vaguely if Benjamin Cahill cared whether she taught in Ohio or California…until Flynn’s words from 1937 came flooding back into her consciousness. 

 

_Ask them why they chose you._

 

It wouldn’t have mattered. They would have come to get her in any corner of the world, because as Lucy thought again bitterly, _Everybody knows my future except me._   Her mother wanted her at Stanford, her father wanted her at Mason, Flynn wanted her to join him so they could fulfill whatever God-forsaken destiny was in that journal and become “quite the team.”

 

It was times like these that Lucy missed Amy the most.  How often had she told her to stop trying to please their mother and make her own future? How disappointed had she been when Lucy turned down that job in Ohio?  What would she say now?

 

 Lucy thought working for Mason was carving out her own future, going against her mother’s wishes, but that too, had apparently been something carefully plotted out for her.   

 

Suddenly, Lucy felt trapped. Panic rose in her chest as she realized she hadn’t the foggiest idea of what to do anymore.  Here she was, an unwitting pawn for Rittenhouse, trying to save the history…but a history they wanted protected…complete with people like her…like Lindbergh who they manipulated and bullied and coerced throughout the years to do their bidding.  If Lindbergh had felt as she did and succumbed to the inevitable…what did that mean for her? 

 

What was the alternative? Teaming up with Flynn?  Murdering her way through history with no concern of what it might mean for the future?  And if she helped him destroy Rittenhouse…what on Earth did that mean for her?  At some point, he would inevitably kill someone connected to her, wouldn’t he?  And then what would happen?  Would she just cease to exist?  If Flynn killed off someone in the Cahill family while she was in the present…would she just disappear like Amy? 

 

Who would remember her if that happened?  Not Rufus…not Wyatt…they would be just as ignorant of her existence as anyone else. Why then would she give Flynn the means to her own destruction?  Why would she help him?  To escape her inevitable fall into Rittenhouse? 

 

She felt damned any way she looked at the situation and the walls of the catacombs seemed to be closing in on her until a faint memory popped into her head.    

 

_If you don’t like the future Flynn has predicted for you, then rewrite it._

Wyatt’s admonition cut through the chaos of her mind like a finely-honed missile.  Flynn, her mother, Rittenhouse…did it really matter?  All of her life she had done what was expected of her; the honor roll, the student organizations, the clubs.  When she got older, it was the colleges, the courses of study, her major…and later, the job she accepted.   She kept thinking back to Amy’s disappointed face…but Lucy wasn’t a risk taker.  Why would she be?  Hadn’t she learned her lesson?  The one time she had tried to do something unexpected and spontaneous, she had nearly lost her life in a watery grave. 

 

But she didn’t.    

 

Lucy gasped as that realization settled on her. Yes, it had been one of the most terrifying moments of her life, but she had been saved, someone was there to pull her out of the overwhelming depths of the dark and swirling current and carry her to safety. Her life for the past few weeks…well, if she were being quite honest…since that first trip to 1937, had spun completely out of control.  Amy, her father…Noah…her life had been upended in so many ways, but someone had been there too, to offer a life line…even when she was too stubborn to see it. 

 

_There’s always a mess. So, we make it up as we go._

Wyatt. Reckless, hotheaded and brave, Wyatt.  He didn’t care about the rules, he didn’t obsess over details…he just acted.  He could have taken the safe path…lived in a timeline where he may not have had Lucy, but at least, he had Jessica. Instead, he took a gamble…and saved her life in the process.  He had jumped in head first, not because he didn’t care about the consequences…but because he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do.  How often had he made those decisions, time and time again…the ones she was too scared to make?  And how many times had he been right?   

 

She already knew she loved him, but now…she knew beyond a doubt that she needed him.  He had saved her in the literal and figurative sense…and somehow, even though she felt overwhelmed by all of these forces pulling at her in opposite directions, she knew that with Wyatt at her side, she could brave the current.  He would be her stay, her constant…the one who would protect her and fight alongside her through thick and thin.    

 

“Family is family. Blood is blood.” Lindbergh was saying, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts, “I can’t even imagine what my father would say if I turned my back on Rittenhouse.”

 

“Does your father care about what you want, Charles?” Lucy asked thoughtfully, “My father doesn’t…my mother either, for that matter.”   

 

Lindbergh let out a small chuckle, “Well…we don’t exactly have much of a choice.”

 

She couldn’t believe that…she wouldn’t believe that.

 

“History is made up of choices.” Lucy muttered as she bit her lip, remembering that conversation from so long ago.  “So are small…inconsequential…some are big.”  Lindbergh looked up at her in interest as she continued, “If you want to buy a farm, get married…settled down…then do it.”

 

“Disappear?” Lindbergh asked incredulously. “Do you have any idea how many people are probably out looking for me right now? My dad is a Congressman for crying out loud.” 

 

Lucy shook her head, “Your plane crashed…I’m sure after a while, they’ll just assume…”

 

“That I died?” he asked skeptically.

 

“Why not?” Lucy said with a shrug.  “You can choose the life you want” Lucy nodded determinedly, “we both can.”

 

Lindbergh laughed, “You obviously don’t know much about Rittenhouse.  They’re everywhere…you can’t just disappear.  Sooner or later…they’ll find you.”

 

“Then we need to find them first.” came Garcia Flynn’s voice from the open doorway.

 

 

                                                            ********************

  

Wyatt was getting anxious. 

 

He thought he would have found her by now…yet each darkened pathway they traversed seemed to lead to a whole lot of nothing.  Fighting hard to keep his mounting panic at bay, he took out his frustration on a very loud Ernest Hemingway who was rattling a stick against the grooves of the bone-filled walls surrounding them.  “You know, this will be a hell of a lot easier if they don’t hear us coming.” Wyatt spat out.  “Do you even know where the hell we are?”

 

“Of course!” exclaimed Hemingway with a smile.  “We are underneath the streets of Paris.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows, “I…um…think what Wyatt meant was do you know where we are going?”

 

“Oh God no.” Hemingway responded with a shrug.  “People get lost and die down here all the time.”

 

“Oh, that’s just great.” Wyatt spat out as kicked at the wall.  Of course, this is how his night would end up.  Lucy kidnapped, possibly killed…and he was going to die in this hellhole because he trusted a drunk Ernest Hemingway to be his damn tour guide.

 

He deserved this.  This was karma.  He should have just proposed to Lucy when he had the chance. 

 

Wyatt couldn’t reflect on his regrets in peace, however, because Ernest Hemingway was now belting out a French tune at the top of his lungs.  Irritated, Wyatt rushed over to him in an attempt to get him to shut the hell up.  “What the hell are you doing?” he hissed.  “Do you want them to…” suddenly Wyatt stopped, an idea popping into his head. “Rufus…make as much noise as you can.”

 

“Wyatt…you just said…”

 

“I know what I said, Rufus” Wyatt said in a voice of forced calm.  “What do you think Flynn’s going to do if he hears us making all kinds of racket down here?”

 

“He’ll send someone to kill us.” Rufus said matter of factly, “So, forgive me if I’m not lining up for that option.  Your New Year’s might have gone up in flames, but I’m still holding out hope for mine. I’d rather not die in 1927 Paris if it’s all the same to you.”

 

“But it’s May…” Hemingway remarked in confusion.

 

Ignoring him, Wyatt hissed, “Listen to me, Rufus…if Flynn sends someone to find us…”

 

‘We’ll be able to see which direction they’re coming from.” Hemingway finished with a smack of his lips, “I like this plan.”

 

Setting straight to work, the trio ran through the endless passages of the Catacombs, calling for Lucy. As the minutes wore on, Wyatt felt a sinking feeling in his stomach that perhaps he was wrong…Flynn had either already left, or he was too well hidden, not giving a damn that anyone was looking for him. Just as that depressing thought came into his head, however, Wyatt heard the tale tell sound of a footfall from somewhere behind them.  Shushing Rufus and Hemingway, Wyatt continued to call out for Lucy, motioning to the two of them to keep a look out.  As they tucked themselves away in an alcove, the approaching footsteps slowed, until finally from the shadows, a man with a gun emerged, taking deadly aim at Wyatt’s back. 

 

“Surprise, you sonofabitch!” Hemingway yelled as he landed the goon on his ass.  “That’s what I call the Hemingway hook.”

 

“He’s completely knocked out.” Wyatt observed with a huff, “How the hell are we supposed to find Lucy now?”

 

As if in answer to that question, a faint voice sounded somewhere down the darkened passage they had just passed.  Frantic, Wyatt practically leaped over the sprawled figure of Flynn’s henchman and raced down the darkened corridor, “Lucy?!” he called out stumbling slightly as he ran.  

 

“Wyatt!  Wait for us!” Rufus called out desperately as he stumbled over the prostrate man. 

 

Searching the corridors desperately, Wyatt ran from one to the other until he found himself in a corridor that was flooded with water.  Memories of Johnstown came hurtling back to him as he sought to stem the mounting panic building in his chest.  He had lost her…again…and he didn’t know what to do.  “Lucy!!!!” he bellowed as he kicked at the wall. 

 

A faint cracking sound above him suddenly turned into an onslaught of falling rocks and debris. Leaping out of the way, Wyatt crashed to the floor with a grimace as a pile of stones amassed, completely blocking his only way out. 

 

Shit. 

 

In the pitch dark, he eased himself up feeling the barrier in front of him, looking for any type of opening.  A few loose rocks clattered to the ground at his feet, but he was reluctant to begin moving the larger stones in the event a worse cave in might occur.  Behind him, he knew that the corridor was flooded and he had no way of knowing if it even offered a way out.  He sank to the floor, head in his hands, feeling like a complete failure.  He had lost Lucy and now he was probably going to die down here…alone…

 

“Wyatt?” Rufus faint voice called from somewhere beyond the impenetrable barrier. 

 

“Rufus!”  Wyatt called out desperately.  “Get me the hell out of here!” 

 

“What the hell?” came Rufus’ clearer voice, “Wyatt, how the hell did…”

 

“Wyatt!?” Lucy’s panicked voice sounded over Rufus’

 

“Lucy?” Wyatt gasped out. “How…how….I looked everywhere…”

 

“Well, if you wouldn’t have taken off like a bat out of hell,” Rufus explained, “you would’ve found her…well, actually she found us…but my point is, if you wouldn’t have abandoned my ass back there, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

 

“Oh, my.” Hemingway sounded off, “Now this looks like an adventure!”

 

“Can we get him out of there?” Lucy breathed out. 

 

“I think so.” Lindbergh answered.  “It doesn’t look too bad.  We just need to be careful…don’t want to cause a bigger cave in, get us all trapped down here.”

 

“Rufus?” Lucy asked, “You’re an engineer…”

 

“Yeah…but…this…” Rufus shook his head uneasily.

 

“I believe in you, Rufus” Hemingway said as he clapped him on the back, “remember, we fight!”

 

“Yeah…we fight.” Rufus said nervously.  “Okay…give me that flashlight…”

 

On and on they worked, following Rufus’ instructions, carefully removing each stone as if they were playing a life and death version of Jenga…not that Hemingway or Lindbergh knew what that was.  Finally, after what felt like hours a small opening appeared at the top and got larger, until Wyatt, bloodied, dusty, and with a completely ruined suit came crawling out of the top and into Lucy’s waiting arms.  Kissing her soundly, Wyatt pulled back leaned his forehead against hers muttering, “Thanks for saving me, ma’am.”

 

“I beg your pardon.” Rufus admonished, “I think that was me.”

 

“I’ll kiss you later.” Wyatt promised.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Rufus said with a glare, “But if you don’t mind, I’d like to get the hell out of this creepy ass place…like now.”    

 

Following Rufus’ lead, Wyatt held onto Lucy as they made their way out of the catacombs and back onto the streets of Paris.  When they were safely above ground, Wyatt pulled her to the side and whispered, “How the hell did you get away from Flynn?”

 

She smirked, “I convinced him to give me a chance to get Lindbergh to talk…Rittenhouse a Rittenhouse….and he did.  Lindbergh gave him a few of his Rittenhouse contacts and he let us both go.”  She nodded towards Lindbergh, “We’re going to see if we can’t have Josephine Baker find him a place to hide out so Rittenhouse won’t keep pursuing him.”  She swallowed hard as she continued, “Maybe he can lead a simple life away from all of that…” 

 

“But if he goes into hiding, he won’t get credit for this flight…are you sure you’re okay with that?” Wyatt asked her tentatively. 

 

Lucy sighed, “Am I ever okay with changing history?  But in this case…”

 

Wyatt nodded at her in understanding, “Lucy…it’s going to be okay.  I know this isn’t the way it’s supposed to happen, but…”

 

“There’s always a mess.” she finished with a smile, “so we make it up as we go, right?”

 

He nodded at her with a smirk, “That’s right.” 

 

Lucy sighed, “I guess this New Year’s didn’t turn out quite like we planned?”

 

 Wyatt frowned as he tugged her by the hand, “C’mon,” he said with a hint of disappointment in his voice, “let’s catch up with the others.”

 

Lucy, however, stood immoveable quirking her brow at him with a smile, “You have been trying to get me alone all night and now you want to catch up with everyone else?”

 

Wyatt threw his head back and sighed heavily, “Lucy…I think we can both agree that this night has been kind of a disaster.”

 

“Oh I don’t know about that…we’re all still in one piece.” she said as she wrapped her arms around him. Checking her watch, she announced, “And if we hurry, we can make it home by midnight...though I have to be honest,” she said as she bit her lip, “I wasn’t too excited about the James Bond marathon.”

 

Wyatt chuckled as he pulled her closer, “Neither was I ma’am.” Lucy offered him a sardonic grin, but Wyatt insisted, “Come on, Lucy…do you honestly believe that all I had planned for our first New Year’s together was a lame ass James Bond marathon?”

 

“Mmmm what _did_ you have planned?”  Lucy asked with a quirked brow.

 

“Not that…and definitely not this.” Wyatt sighed in frustration, ‘I wanted tonight to be perfect, Lucy.”

 

“Who says it isn’t?” she asked as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. 

 

“You just pulled me out of a damn hole in the ground, Lucy…we’ve been shot at, you’ve been kidnapped…”

 

“Yeah…definitely some forgettable moments there.” she agreed, “But that doesn’t mean the entire night has to be a complete waste. We're together, at least...that's got to count for something.”    

 

Wyatt looked around. It wasn’t the most romantic spot in the city…hell, they were literally standing in front of the dilapidated wreck of a house they had nearly been killed in earlier, but when had anything in their lives ever gone as they planned?  He tugged at her hands and led her over to a small park across the street from where they had been standing.  It wasn’t particularly beautiful or memorable, but this wasn’t about that…it was about them. 

 

“You asked me what I had planned?” Wyatt sighed as he brushed a hand against her cheek and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.  Grimacing slightly, he knelt down, the cuts and bruises he had suffered making it an uncomfortable task. As a small groan escaped his lips, Lucy reached out for him to pull him back up, but he waved her away, “No ma’am...Flynn may have blown all the rest of our plans to hell, but he’s not screwing this up.” 

 

Lucy shook her head at him and smiled, “Wyatt, you could propose to me standing up and I’d still say…”

 

He silenced her with a playful look, “No answers until I’ve asked you, ma’am.”  Wyatt teased, “I want to be surprised.” He sighed as he dug around in his coat pocket, chuckling dryly, “You know, I’ve been carrying this around since…since…" a look of sheer panic stole across Wyatt's face. 

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked in confusion. 

Wyatt sprang to his feet and felt his pockets frantically before kicking at the grounding frustration. "Shit!” How could he have screwed this up so badly? Every day...he had carried that ring around every day just waiting for the opportunity to propose. After Christmas, however, he had tucked it away so that he wouldn't be tempted to jump the gun....but in that week he had grown accustomed to not obsessively checking his pockets for the small velvet box. Maybe that's why, on what was to be the most important night of his life, he had left it behind. "Bam Bam's suit." Wyatt explained weakly. "I forgot to grab it when I stole Bam Bam's suit." 

 

 

“It’s okay, Wyatt.” Lucy offered as he paced in front of her in agitation. She was doing her best to stifle a laugh, but couldn't hide her amusement. 

 

“No it’s not okay, Lucy." Wyatt sighed out in frustration. "I had everything planned perfectly…we were going to go on that Speakeasy Cruise…until Flynn had to go and blow all of that to hell...”

 

“That…that was for us?” Lucy gasped. 

 

Wyatt grunted in acknowledgement, “And then I thought, hey, at least it’s Paris…” Wyatt continued as he paced in frustration, “but I had to kick Bam Bam’s ass just to get here…probably going to have to answer for that when we get back.” He scoffed, “Why is it that every time I think we catch a break, something comes along to screw it all up?" 

"Wyatt..." Lucy consoled, but he wasn't listening. 

"Every time I tried to get you alone, it was Rufus calling for us or Flynn shooting at us...and then after running around all night in the catacombs, I don’t even have the damn ring.” 

 

Lucy smiled to herself as she reached out and grabbed Wyatt’s arm, stilling him and drawing his attention back to her. "There's always a mess, right?" Wyatt huffed bitterly and nodded. "So..." Lucy encouraged, "we make it up as we go." Smiling, she worked off one of the shimmering tassels of her dress and handed it to him,  "Here." 

 

“What the hell is that?” Wyatt asked her blankly as he stared at the sparkly piece of fabric in her hand. 

 

“We’re improvising.” she said with a determined nod as she held out the tassel to him. 

 

Doubtful, Wyatt stared back her, “I thought you wanted this to be perfect?”

 

“It is perfect, Wyatt.” she answered with a nod.

 

Wyatt rolled his eyes as he took the tassel from her, smirking as he knelt down again, gently pulling her hand closer to him as he began to tie the shimmering bit of fabric around her dainty finger, “You realize this is worse than that damn mood ring, right?” he asked. 

 

“I don’t care.” Lucy murmured happily as he secured the tassel to her finger with a small bow. She knelt down before him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, “Now” she muttered with a smile, “.…was that so hard?”

 

“I still haven’t asked you anything yet, ma’am.” he murmured against her lips. 

 

“Oh right.” she said a bit flustered as she sat back in expectation, but Wyatt pulled her in for a desperate kiss, pulling her closer to him until he could feel her heart beating in time with his own.  Breaking away from the kiss, only slightly, Wyatt nuzzled his face against hers and whispered, “Marry me?” Lucy answered by recapturing his lips with her own with such a force that it threw off his balance and had them both toppling onto the ground in a fit of giggles.  “Is that a yes?”  Wyatt chuckled.

 

Lucy nodded happily, her voice lost somewhere in the confines of her throat.  When she finally managed to squeak out a “yes” Wyatt beamed and kissed her again, before pulling them both to their feet.

 

He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed, holding her close, never wanting this moment to end. “You’re right.” Wyatt muttered, “this _is_ perfect.”  He thought over everything he had been through over the past few months; stumbling into that new timeline, realizing his feelings for Lucy, losing Lucy…saving Lucy…and now…now he was going to have that back...he was going to have his wife back…but this time they were both going to remember their engagement, their wedding…this time they were on the same page...this time it was real. 

 

“I hope you know you’re stuck with me now.” Lucy said as she flashed her tasseled finger at him.  “This is a binding arrangement.”

 

“That’s just fine with me.” Wyatt assured, “I told you Lucy, I would’ve married you the moment I came back from that other timeline.”

 

Lucy moved her arms from around his back and instead, entwined them around his neck, “I’m sorry it took me so long,” she smiled, “guess we’ll just have to make up for lost time.” 

 

Wyatt offered her a devilish grin as he pulled her into another kiss, “I like the sound of that.” he whispered against her lips.

 

Deliriously happy, they walked hand in hand towards the Pont Neuf, hardly caring about anything or anyone else in the world except each other.   How many months had passed since Lucy had sat in her car wondering about the possibilities that could happen between two people in the City of Lights?  If she had known then that the next time the team jumped to Paris she would be as good as married to Wyatt, she would have never believed it.  Now, with the added stress of Rittenhouse looming over their lives like a dark cloud, Lucy was less inclined to believe that their road would be an easy one, but she knew that no matter what was thrown their way, she and Wyatt would brave it together. 

 

As they made their way across the medieval bridge, the bells of Notre Dame Cathedral began to chime, prompting Wyatt to check his watch.  “Would you look at that?  It’s midnight back home…" He pulled her over to the side of the bridge, taking in the beautiful Parisian skyline. There may not have been fireworks, but somehow, Wyatt thought Lucy didn't mind so much. She looked out at the city in breathless wonder, only dropping her gaze occasionally to admire her tasseled finger. Wrapping her up in his arms, Wyatt pressed a kiss to her lips and murmured, "Happy New Year, Lucy.”

 

“Happy New Year, Wyatt.” she returned with a smile, “guess your New Year’s Eve plans turned out alright, after all.”

 

Wyatt nodded with a smirk, tugging her along, “We may be in the wrong century and it may not even be the right month,” he chuckled, “but this was definitely a New Year's Eve to remember." 

"I'll say." said Lucy, wrapping her arm around his waist as they walked side by side. "I know you had the perfect evening planned, Wyatt...but I wouldn't trade this for the world." She leaned her head on his shoulder as she teased, "I mean, now I get to be engaged to you for 90 years." 

"That’s one hell of a long engagement” Wyatt agreed, "probably don't want to advertise that to your mom or Noah, though. They already think I'm an asshole...stringing you along for 90 years? That'll just seal the deal." Lucy laughed but stopped suddenly in the middle of the bridge and looked towards the Cathedral.  “What’s wrong?” Wyatt asked in sudden concern. 

 

Lucy turned back to look at him, subdued excitement written all over her face as a world of possibilities suddenly seemed to open up before her.  Taking his hands in hers, she tugged him along quickly as she impishly whispered, “I have an idea.”

 

                                                **********************************

 

_Four months and twenty-one days later…._

Rufus sat alone at a table in the reception hall watching Wyatt and Lucy dance slowly with one another, completely oblivious to anyone else in the room. The two people he loved most in the world outside of his own family and Jiya, were married…finally…for real this time…and he couldn’t be prouder.  Despite what Wyatt had to say about it, Rufus knew that he played a part in making this happen…hell, he had been there to watch it all unfold…which is why he was not buying the crazy conspiracy theory Jiya and Bam Bam were trying to sell him.    

 

“Alright,” Jiya whispered as she slid into the vacant chair beside him, “I was just talking to the wedding planner and she told me that Wyatt and Lucy chose this venue because it was the only one open for this specific day.”

 

Rufus frowned and nodded thoughtfully.  “That makes sense.”he said matter-of-factly, “I told you, they wanted this day because they got engaged on this day.  Nothing unusual about that.” 

 

Despite Rufus’ assurances, the date for their wedding had been the one thing that Jiya was most suspicious about.  No sooner had the two of them stumbled their way down the Lifeboat stairs completely wrapped up in one another than they had announced the date of their intended nuptials. It didn’t matter that Bam Bam was sitting in the launch bay with a black eye or that Agent Christopher looked like she was about to skin Wyatt alive; he made no excuses for his rebellious act from earlier that day.  Instead, he marched directly up to a fuming Agent Christopher and told her that under no circumstances would he and Lucy be traveling on May 22…because that was the day they were getting married.

 

“So soon?” Jiya had piped up. 

 

“Well,” Wyatt responded with a flush, “we’ve technically been engaged for 90 years now…why wait?”

 

“Do you think you’ll be able to get a venue in that short amount of time?” Mason piped up, “I mean, I can pull a few strings here and there, but four months…and in the Spring, well, it’s going to be quite a challenge.”

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Doesn’t matter.  We don’t need anything big.” he said with a smile to a beaming Lucy, “This is more for you guys anyway.”

 

Rufus thought it was cute; intending on getting married 90 years to the day they had gotten engaged in the past, but that one remark had set Jiya from mildly curious to straight up conspiracy theorist.  “This is for _us_?  A wedding is about them…why would he say that, Rufus?  Why?” she asked, “Unless…; she had said with a gasp, “they’re already married!”

 

Rufus laughed out loud at that.  “And just when would they have been able to do that?  Hell, forget about when…how?” he asked.  “Did you see Lucy’s finger?  Wyatt didn’t even have the damn ring, I highly doubt he went to Paris with a damn marriage certificate…and it’s even more doubtful that anybody from 1927 would honor one from this century.”

 

“Crazier things have happened, Rufus.” Jiya reminded him.  “Hello, you are literally a time traveler…according to the rest of the world, this isn’t supposed to be possible.”

 

“Yeah, but this? “Rufus countered as he shook his head.  He thought over what had happened in the hours before they departed Paris.  Wyatt and Lucy had come racing into the gin joint where Lindbergh was meeting with Josephine Baker.  Lucy flashed her tasseled finger to Rufus with a giggle while she and Wyatt cornered Ernest Hemingway.  After chatting with him animatedly for some time, they disappeared again and Hemingway merely returned to the table and commented that he “knew those two had it bad for each other.” 

 

Hours later they had come back, smiling, happy, and more than a little disheveled…which not only made for an uncomfortable trip back in the LifeBoat, it also made asking questions completely off-limits.  Seeing that silly string tied to her finger and knowing what Wyatt’s intentions for New Year’s Eve had been, Rufus had had a pretty good idea of what had happened without needing to have it spelled out for him.  Especially when he almost had to get out the hose to keep the two of them apart so they could make the jump back to the present.

 

Besides, it was none of his damn business, anyway. 

 

Something he reminded Jiya on an almost daily basis.

 

She was not easily deterred, however, especially after Wyatt and Lucy disappeared for a whole week not long after they had gotten back from 1927.  No one could get in touch with them, no one knew where they were, no one had seen them…in fact, Agent Christopher was about to put out an APB when they finally showed up at Mason, giggling, tanned, and sickeningly lovey dovey, completely surprised that they had been missed at all.  “Did Flynn jump?” Wyatt asked as he looked at his phone. 

 

“No, but…well, no one knew where you were.” Rufus had explained. “We’d call you and it would go straight to voice mail.  You weren’t at your apartment…”

 

“Well…” Wyatt had said with a shrug, “Lucy and I just wanted some time away…is that a problem?”

 

“No.” Rufus said with a frown as Jiya rolled her eyes, “Not at all…I was thinking about taking a trip myself.”  Rufus said with a nod, “Get away from the grind….take a few days to relax and unwind…nothing unusual about that at all.”

 

“You should.” Wyatt said with a broad grin as he stole a flirtatious glance at Lucy, “it was one of the best week we’ve had in a while.”

 

“That’s because it was a honeymoon” Jiya had muttered under her breath, but if Wyatt or Lucy heard her they gave no indication.  Rufus, however, nudged her in the ribs as Wyatt winked at him and rejoined Lucy. 

 

There was, of course, nothing wrong with taking some personal time away from their crazy lives at Mason…Rufus couldn’t fault him there…but Jiya had a point…to not even tell anybody they were going to be gone for a whole week?  Not even to pick up their mail?  Water their plants?

 

Okay, he wasn’t sure if they actually had plants that needed watering but still…that was a little weird, right?

 

And the next few weeks proved to be even weirder, with Wyatt and Lucy both slipping occasionally and referring to one another as their husband or wife.  Rufus chocked it up to old habits…well, in Wyatt’s case anyway. Wyatt had been married to other Lucy, after all, and he knew probably more than anyone how much Wyatt had wanted that life with her again.  For Lucy, it was a little harder to explain away, but Rufus maintained to Jiya that “the two of them already acted like a damn married couple, so what they hell did it matter what they called each other?”

 

Jiya elbowed Rufus out of his reverie and pointed to Bam Bam who was motioning them over to the bar where he had been doing some reconnaissance of his own.  Curious, Rufus and Jiya made their way over under the guise of ordering another drink, “What’d you find out?” Jiya asked him. 

 

“Nothing much from the other guests…but the minister…” Bam Bam nodded meaningfully towards the man who officiated the wedding, “he told me he had never seen a groom as eager as Wyatt. Told me he kept referring to Lucy as his wife during all of their pre-wedding…ya know…stuff.”

 

“See, Rufus?  I’m telling you,” Jiya said firmly, “they got married in Paris.”

 

‘And I’m telling you, it doesn’t surprise me that Wyatt called Lucy his wife…she was once upon a time.” Rufus countered, “It doesn’t mean a damn thing.”

 

Jiya, however, wasn’t paying any attention, “Didn’t you tell me that Ernest Hemingway said Paris was like the Las Vegas of Europe or something back in the day?”

 

“The Reno of Europe” Rufus corrected her, “And he was talking about it being a place for quickie divorces,” Rufus reminded her, “not quickie marriages…though I guess if you really wanted one....”

 

“Exactly.” Jiya said triumphantly.  “If it was good for one thing, it was probably good for the other thing too.”

 

“But I was there.” Rufus reminded her, “I mean…granted they went off by themselves for a couple of hours, but they had just gotten engaged...what would you have done?  Besides…they wouldn’t have gotten married without telling me.” Rufus looked into the doubtful faces of Jiya and Bam Bam and found that his confidence was beginning to slip. “No,” Rufus maintained, “you are not dragging me down to your level of crazy.  No…no…they would have told me.”

 

“Would’ve told you what?” Wyatt’s voice called from behind him.  Rufus turned abruptly to see Wyatt and Lucy standing arm and arm, grinning at their friends innocently as the bar tender took their empty champagne glasses from them. 

 

“Um…um…” Rufus stammered as he looked to Jiya and Bam Bam for help.  Bam Bam merely shrugged at him and took a drink of his beer, but Jiya was bound and determined to get to the bottom of it all, “Oh, you know…that you two have been married since Paris, but haven’t told anyone.” 

 

Lucy and Wyatt stared back at her stunned, “Wha…what?” Lucy asked as she flushed as she exchanged a nervous look with Wyatt, “We…don’t….um…how…what?”

 

“I’m kidding.” Jiya said with a satisfied smirk, grabbing Lucy’s hand in an attempt to change the subject, “Where did you get this ring, Wyatt?” she asked smoothly as she admired the piece of jewelry.  “I thought you were going to use the old one?”

 

Wyatt cleared his throat awkwardly, “I…I did.” he said with a smirk, “We just…um…had it modified, a bit.”

 

“I’ll say.” Jiya said with a low whistle.  The ring was indeed, the same one he had been carrying since the other timeline; the ring that looked as though it were made for Lucy.  Instead of just diamonds, however, the ring had been upgraded; the diamond in the middle was now flanked on both sides by two glistening emeralds. “That is so beautiful…and completely unique… why emeralds?”

 

Lucy flushed and shrugged, “Oh you know…it…um…symbolizes enduring love and that kind of thing.” She cleared her throat uncomfortably as she nudged Wyatt, “Right, sweetheart?”

 

“That’s right, baby doll.” Wyatt said with a meaningful nod as he took the refilled champagne flutes from the bartender.   “We…um…have to go make a few rounds...don’t forget, Rufus…you’ve got to give a toast.”

 

“Yeah.” Rufus nodded as he patted his chest coat pocket, “I’ve got it all written out here.”

 

 Wyatt nodded to him and then led Lucy away again as Jiya scoffed and pulled out her phone, “Enduring love, my ass.” she muttered as she began typing away.  Rufus gaped as her as her eyes darted back and forth over the small screen until finally, she let out a triumphant laugh and slapped Rufus on the back, “Aha! Listen to this,” she began reading, “The 90thanniversary is denoted by the use of diamonds and _emeralds_.” 

 

“Good sleuthing, Jiya.” Bam Bam said with a wink.  “I’m convinced.”

 

“I’m not.” Rufus said as he took her phone from her and read it himself, “Okay that makes sense…they got engaged 90 years ago, TODAY, Jiya.  It is kind of their 90-year anniversary.”   Rufus continued reading, “What do you know?  Emeralds are also the birthstone for May…this is May.  Oh, and look at that, emeralds _do_ stand for enduring love, just like Lucy said.” he spat out as he tossed her phone back to her.  “You two need to quit letting your imaginations run wild.”

 

“It’s not imagination if you’ve got very good reason to believe it.” Jiya spat back at him. “Those two are totally married.”

 

“We are literally at their wedding, Jiya…of course they’re married.” Rufus argued. 

 

“No…I mean…they’ve been married.” Jiya maintained as Bam Bam nodded in agreement,  “Wyatt referring to Lucy as his wife?  This wedding is for _us?_   The emeralds? The secret trip?  And when we asked them about it just now, they both looked like a deer caught in headlights.”

 

“That’s because they think you’re crazy.” Rufus argued…but as he watched Wyatt lead Lucy over to the dance floor, he couldn’t help but wonder…what if.   He watched as Wyatt whispered in Lucy’s ear causing her to laugh brightly and whisper something back to him. Not wholly unusual for a couple of lovebirds, but Rufus suddenly realized they had only started doing that since the trip to Paris.  Yes, they had been a couple before…but as much as he hated to admit it, Jiya was right…there was something different about Wyatt and Lucy.  The whispered conversations, the knowing looks, the way they would smile as if they knew something everybody else didn’t….

 

No.  No.  It was crazy. There was no way they could have pulled that off without him knowing, right?  The judges in Paris might have been easily swayed for divorces in the 1920s….it didn’t mean they were just as easily swayed for marriages.  Those kinds of things required time…and paperwork. No, Rufus was convinced.  It didn’t happen.  Bam Bam and Jiya just had overactive imaginations.        

 

Maybe. 

 

Possibly. 

 

Probably not. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! You've made it to the absolute end. 
> 
> Again, let me say how much I enjoyed writing this story. The epilogue, I know, turned out to be a beast, but I wanted it to feel more like a continuation rather than just a quick little blurb at the end of this massive piece of fiction. I wanted to bring it back full circle and i hope that you enjoyed the ride. 
> 
> Thank you again and again for all the love you have shown this story and for sticking with it for so long. 
> 
> A few things: Josephine Baker actually did wear a girdle made up of artificial bananas....that was not some kind of inside joke. 
> 
> Here's a link to the video of her banana dance: 
> 
> https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Josephine+Baker+bananas&view=detail&mid=391C0B08F859BA734BF5391C0B08F859BA734BF5&FORM=VIRE
> 
> The other is just a link to the song Wyatt and Lucy dance to. I couldn't find a period appropriate version, but this one has a french accordion in it and so I thought it was better than nothing for those of you who are curious. 
> 
> https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=I+dream+of+Jeannie+with+the+Light+Brown+hair&&view=detail&mid=D0EE7302D06956126CA0D0EE7302D06956126CA0&&FORM=VRDGAR
> 
> Thanks again for all the love you've shown this story. It would never have been what it became without you.


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